Anita Dugatto, a dentist in Derby, announced her intention to run for mayor Thursday.
Dugatto, a member of the city’s Board of Apportionment and Taxation, told her fellow Democrats at a Democratic Town Committee meeting Thursday night.
She is the first mayoral candidate to announce her campaign.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind, but now I am ready,” Dugatto said Friday.
Dugatto, often called “Dr. Anita,” said she will spend the next days building support and talking to residents about the issues concerning them in Derby.
She then plans to talk specifics about how she will govern if elected mayor.
“We all know what the issues are — the ‘how’ is the question,” Dugatto said.
Dugatto was born in Derby and has been a dentist here for 13 years.
She is a constant presence at Derby municipal meetings, sometimes sparring with Derby Republicans on the issues.
She owns Sunflower Dental at 69 Elizabeth St.
The Democrats and Republicans in Derby hold caucuses, usually in July, to formally nominate candidates.
Election Day is Nov. 5, 2013.
Mayor Anthony Staffieri, a Republican, is serving his fourth term as Derby mayor.
Will he try for a fifth?
“Oh yes, I will be running,” Staffieri said Friday.
He said he’d run the same campaign regardless of who runs against him.
“I’ll do the best that I can do,” he said. “The city’s always been first in my heart, and that’s the reason that I got involved, because the city wasn’t moving forward.”
Asked about Dugatto, he said: “If that’s the person that’s running I wish them well. I hope they have the city’s interests at heart.”
While the mayor’s position is officially a part-time job, in reality it takes 60 plus hours a week, Staffieri said.
“The mayor’s position, you can’t do it at the coffee shop,” he said. “There’s lots to do and there’s lots to make sure things happen correctly.”
Linda Fusco, chair of the Democratic Town Committee, said Dugatto has a solid mix of business, political and community experience.
“First and foremost is her strong sense of business acumen,” Fusco said in an e‑mail. “As you know, she has, for many years, run and grown a successful business in the downtown area. She understands the needs of the Derby business community and has a great feel for the area.”
Dugatto has also been involved with the city’s cultural commission and the Elks club on Elizabeth Street.
“Lastly, Anita is so approachable,” Fusco said. “She talks and listens to everyone and has a good feel for the pulse of this city. I believe Anita will always make herself available to her constituents. I know too, she values the importance of a good, open and transparent government. We’ve had that conversation many times.”
Reporter Ethan Fry contributed to this report.
