Mayor Anthony Staffieri took the oath for his third two-year term as the city’s leader Saturday morning at the Derby High School auditorium, vowing to leave partisanship out of the picture as the city works to make cultural and economic progress on projects like downtown development, O’Sullivan’s Island and the Sterling Opera House restoration.
That came as good news to the two new Democratic members of the Board of Aldermen, who will sit on that significant panel with seven Republicans.
The two new Democrats, Barbara DeGennaro and Stephen Iacuone, said before the inaugurations began at 11 a.m. the main thing they will do is listen to what the constituents are saying.
They both represent the city’s First Ward.
“I don’t think there’s a difference in agendas. We have to serve the City of Derby, and make the city a better place and help the community out the best we can,” DeGennaro said.
About 100 family members and friends attended, on a rainy December morning on the second weekend of the Christmas shopping season.
The Derby section of the Electronic Valley has photos from the event.
DeGennaro, an attorney, said she anticipates no problems getting her message across on the mostly Republican board because she is not afraid to voice her opinions and ideas or let the public know.
“One of the big issues is obviously the downtown area, and whatever my constituents of my ward and the city are going to be concerned about,” DeGennaro said.
Iacuone also said he is a listener, and wants to bring Derby back to what he said was the way it was when he was in high school, in the early 1980s, where anyone who had an opinion could be heard.
“We want to go back to the way things used to be,” Iacuone said.As one of only two Democrats, he does not anticipate a problem. “We all get along pretty well,” he said.
Ken Hughes, president of the Board of Aldermen, agreed that partisanship should not be an issue.
“As long as they have the best interest of the city in mind, like we have had for the last four years, we don’t see it as an issue. We all live in the same town,” Hughes said.
The event was led by Master of Ceremonies Markanthony Izzo, with music by the Derby High School Choir and National Anthem and “God Bless America” sung by Cara Staffieri, the mayor’s niece.
Members of the Derby Police Department and Derby Fire Department carried the flags.
Oaths were taken by members of the Board of Education, the Board of Apportionment and Taxation, the Board of Aldermen, the Constables, and individual offices including mayor, city clerk and treasurer.
Staffieri addressed the crowd, telling them about the progress that has been made in the past four years in issues like downtown redevelopment, the greenway and the O’Sullivan’s Island park project.
Putting away partisan concepts will play a role in that process, he said.
“We seek office as Republicans or Democrats, but may I remind you today you are no longer a Republican or a Democrat, you are an elected official, elected to represent the people of Derby. Ideas are not Republican or Democratic, they are ideas of elected officials elected to serve the people. As we leave the assembly let’s leave our party affiliation at the exit door. Let’s move forward with creative ideas and make Derby the best city it can be.”
