Promising to usher in an era of transparency within city government, Anita Dugatto was sworn in as Derby’s 30th mayor Saturday morning during a ceremony at Derby High School.
“I want to re-affirm our commitment to integrity, transparency and a determined focus to rebuild our local economy through smart planning, smart growth, and smart economic development,” she said.
Dugatto is the first female mayor in Derby’s history.
She led a successful Democratic campaign that saw the Dems take over the mayor’s office, the town clerk’s office, and expand their majority on the Board of Aldermen. The Dems also hold majorities on the Derby Board of Apportionment and Taxation and the Derby Board of Education.
Despite the dominance — or perhaps because of it — Dugatto promised to work across party lines. After being sworn in by state Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, Dugatto thanked outgoing Mayor Anthony Staffieri for his service.
Dugatto’s inaugural speech lasted about eight minutes.
She touched upon economic development several times during her remarks, saying the Derby her Italian immigrant parents knew no longer exists — and the types of industry powerful in the past are not returning.
Instead, Derby needs to attract emerging and strong “green” industries, Dugatto said, and jobs that are related to health care.
Dugatto’s speech was not a detailed action plan, but she said the city needs to turn away from “big box” development and turn toward small business entrepreneurship.
She repeated her calls for the creation of an inventory of city properties, and then for officials to study what types of economic development have worked elsewhere.
She said the key to Derby’s future lies in harnessing the power of its people.
She promised to work to make downtown vibrant again and to connect the city to its historic waterfront, before returning to the theme of government integrity.
“Transparency will overcome confusion. Sunshine will overcome darkness,” Dugatto said.
Click the video to watch Dugatto’s complete comments. A copy of the speech was provided to the Valley Indy after the ceremony and is posted below.
The ceremony featured many heavy hitters from the Connecticut Democratic Party.
Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman administered the oath of office to Dugatto.
Wyman had the best one-liner of the morning: she said that while getting government to do something is like pulling teeth, Dugatto, a dentist, is more than used to it.
During the oath, Wyman referred to Derby first as Waterbury and then as Danbury, drawing laughs from the audience — and triggering ribbing from the dignitaries for the remainder of the roughly two-hour ceremony.
“I’m sure she’d be great in Waterbury, but they want her in Derby,” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said.
Click play to watch Dugatto take the oath:
Blumenthal, state Attorney General George Jepsen, state Comptroller Kevin Lembo, state Sen. Joseph Crisco, and former state Sen. Vin Tonucci (Dugatto’s campaign manager) administered the oaths for the Aldermen, City/Town Clerk, Board of Education, and the constables, respectively.
The inauguration was very much a community event, with several musical selections by the Derby Middle School band, and two songs from a Derby Senior Center choir.
The speakers also took time out to note the Pearl Harbor anniversary, the passing of Nelson Mandela, the one-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting and the 28th anniversary of the River Restaurant explosion.
Afterward Dugatto told the Valley Indy she was planning to stop by Derby City Hall immediately after the ceremony to take care of some things in the office. She held off on announcing any key appointments, such as corporation counsel and economic development director.
New Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti told the Valley Indy last week Sheila O’Malley, Derby’s economic development director, is taking a job as grant writer for the City of Ansonia.
It would appear that the firm of Welch, Teodosio, Stanek, & Blake, LLC is the front runner for corporation counsel, as each member of the firm was in attendance Saturday.
Dugatto said she wanted to wait until Monday before making any official announcements.
Board of Aldermen
Anthony DeFala, Sr.
Barbara DeGennaro
Stephen Iacuone
Arthur Gerckens
David Lenart
Ronald Sill
David Anroman
Carmen DiCenso
Peter Olenoski
Board of Apportionment and Taxation
James R. Butler
Christopher Carloni
Jason Cronk
Carolyn Duhaime
Edwin Fiallos
Carlo Malerba, Jr.
Sabatino Pollastro, Jr.
Daniel Sexton
Judith Szewczyk
James Watson
Board of Education
Craig Drezek
James Gildea
Laura Harris
George Kurtyka
Andrew Mancini
Kenneth Marcucio, Sr.
Rebecca O’Hara
Christine Robinson
James Stadt
City Treasurer
Keith McLiverty
City/Town Clerk
Marc J. Garofalo
City Constables
Sylvester Fusco
Peter Duhaime
