Your 2025 Durham Candidates!

Will Castro

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William Castro was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. He cultivated a strong work ethic at an early age. At 10 years old, he started cleaning floors and beauty equipment at his grandmother’s salon. This work ethic drove him to earn a degree in Nursing at age 20, and has fostered his ongoing desire for learning and growth. 

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In the course of his career, William has consistently been drawn toward advocacy, improvement and efficiency. He has worked for change in pediatric cancer treatment protocols, helping to reduce errors in care and increase therapy safety. In his role as a team leader in the operating room of a major trauma center, he brought structure to the care of pediatric surgical patients to ensure each patient was receiving the same, exceptional care; he further undertook a massive surgical supply overhaul, which had not been attempted for roughly 20 years, reducing waste in unused surgical supplies and creating space for items that could previously not be accommodated.

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William’s interest in improvement has not been limited to his career. After living in a community served by a homeowners’ association, he quickly realized the need for better resource allocation. He joined the association’s board of directors, and balanced the budget by using excessive savings to address urgent capital needs, including roof replacement for the entire community. 

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After transitioning out of clinical practice, William’s background in clinical improvement and interest in fiscal responsibility led him to work on a hospital system’s value analysis team, which included cost reduction efforts and supply contracting with third-party vendors. This in-depth look into the nuances of high-level spending helped him to further develop an appreciation for addressing supply needs while keeping waste and cost low whenever possible.

William and his wife, Mallory, relocated to Connecticut in 2021. While his wife had previously lived in New England, William had never lived outside the Sunshine State. As they traversed New England during their honeymoon in 2020, William was drawn to the beauty of Connecticut and its diverse landscape of shoreline, mountains and scenic river valleys. Its excellent school systems and convenience to large cities, without sacrificing the solitude of living in small town, ultimately swayed their decision to settle in Connecticut. 

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William has now lived in Durham for four years; while life has changed, his interest in the opportunities created by careful stewardship of resources has not. He has an almost three-year old son, who can enjoy a robust library program and multiple playgrounds and green spaces just minutes away. He now works as a data analyst for quality and safety initiatives in a major hospital system, where he undertakes large-scale improvement projects and leads diverse teams to accomplish shared goals. 

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After observing and learning about the Town and specifically the Durham Board of Finance, he believes there is an excellent opportunity to make strategic, future-oriented decisions for our town that will ensure growth and stability for years to come. As a relative newcomer with a fresh perspective and appreciation for the details that make Durham special, he is confident that his keen eye to detail and open communication style will help the Board of Finance to become more productive, efficient and successful. 

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William Castro believes that as neighbors with a shared goal, we can improve long-term financial planning for our town while still addressing current needs. William is seeking a seat on the Durham Board of Finance to reach this goal and serve his family, friends and neighbors. 

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Phil Muzio

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Born and raised in North Haven, Connecticut, Phil has been a resident of Durham for 26 years. He is running as a Democratic candidate for a seat on the Board of Finance. In 2018, Phil served as a member of the Korn School Feasibility Assessment Committee. After that, he served for several years on Durham’s Compensation Review and Personnel Policy Board.

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Currently, he is the Vice Chairman of the Durham Democratic Town Committee. As a young man, Phil studied Music Performance at the University of Bridgeport. At this time, he also developed a strong interest in consumer electronics, eventually becoming a co-owner and CEO of Madrigal Audio Laboratories, located on Rt17 just over the Durham/Middletown line. After an acquisition by a well-known Fortune 500 corporation, Phil focused on the

executive management of global product development and engineering groups serving the automotive industry. Phil has managed budgets from $6M to $30M and staff sizes of 60 to 600 employees on 3 continents.

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After a 35-year career, Phil retired in 2013. He and his wife Catherine, a small business owner in nearby Wallingford, continue to reside in Durham. Durham’s Town Meeting form of government relies on the public service of its residents. At this time of his life, Phil has the time, energy and experience to fulfill his public service commitment

by seeking a seat on Durham’s Board of Finance. Phil has followed the activities of the various finance boards since 2015, listening and learning from his attendance.

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Durham’s is facing a problem of affordability. This year, the budgeted operating expenses of the town (not including RSD13) increased by 8.5%, $661k. $1M of our unassigned fund balance was used to prevent an even greater increase in our mill rate. This trend is unsustainable. I ask for your vote so that I may have a seat on Durham’s Board of Finance to investigate if we are maximizing the value of each dollar we spend on town government, if we are realizing a good return on our cash assets, if we are making smart decisions on financing town projects and if we are developing a long-term plan for the financial future of our town.

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