Elected officials at every level of government always use the “spend more time with family” as the reason for vacating office.
Yet, with Ken Hughes, the cliche is true.
Between juggling a new job with the City of Norwalk, two growing boys and a wife, Roe, who works nights — Hughes just couldn’t fit the volunteer Alderman position into his schedule anymore.
Hughes, 42, and a lifelong Derby resident, resigned from the Derby Board of Aldermen Wednesday (Nov. 21) after seven years as an Alderman.
The following is a Q&A with Hughes. Click here for a related story.
Valley Independent Sentinel: What gives?
Hughes: “My younger son is on a travel hockey team. Have you ever heard the nightmare stories of travel hockey? Every one of them is true (laughs). Practice four nights a week, games on the weekends. And my wife works nights. I get home from work it’s feed the kids, do the homework, get them to hockey and then go to an Aldermen meeting. It’s just physically impossible for me to do it anymore.”
VIS: On a personal note, you’re one of the only guys who gets how to talk to reporters, return calls and not outright lie to reporters.
Hughes: “My stance has always been tell the truth, good bad or ugly. It is what it is.”
VIS: You’ve been missing Aldermen meetings lately, which is unusual.
Hughes: “The latest meeting I missed, I had a meeting down in Norwalk (where he is superintendent of parks) with FEMA about storm damage. There’s no way I could have missed that meeting. I’ve found myself not being able to attend Derby meetings too many times, which made me think they need to get someone in there who can put the time in.”
VIS: So you submitted a letter of resignation Wednesday morning?
Hughes: “I e‑mailed a letter Wednesday morning. It’s been something I was thinking about for awhile, but I didn’t let anyone really know. To be honest, I knew I had to resign, so I didn’t want to be in a position where someone could try to talk me out of it or have me stay on board for the next few months. I only told my family the same morning, just before I sent the e‑mail.”
The podcast below features reporters Eugene Driscoll and Ethan Fry talking about the resignation. The article continues below.
VIS: You were first elected in 2005. What are you most proud of when you look back?
Hughes: “Getting the buildings torn down on the south side on Main Street was a big deal. That was one of the reasons I ran for office. That was good for the city. Changing how the transfer station was run is another accomplishment I’m proud of. When you look at the transfer station now compared to when we took office, you can’t argue it hasn’t been improved. Passing an ordinance regulating “adult uses” was good for the city, too.”
VIS: What about the negatives of being an elected official? Obviously it can’t be easy on your wife and family. And your family had a publicized falling out with the Mayor’s family.
Hughes: “That was tough. That was extremely difficult. But as far as the negatives of being an elected official, you can’t let personal attacks bother you, especially if you look at the sources and know what the truth is.”
VIS: What about redevelopment? The Derby Democrats just posted an item on the Valley Indy Facebook wall saying 10 of the last 12 Redevelopment Agency meetings have been cancelled since the 2011 election. Does the fact downtown redevelopment still hasn’t moved forward frustrate you?
Hughes: “Absolutely. Of course it does, but people have to look at the timeline. We haven’t just been sitting on our hands since 2005. We spent about two years trying to work with a prior developer. Then we realized the prior plan could never be built. Then we went to court for about two years with the prior developer. Then we regrouped, looking for another developer. Now we have Eclipse and they’ve been working for about two years. We’re still waiting. Believe me, no one wants to see downtown redevelopment happen more than the mayor and the redevelopment agency. It’s not like we’re working to slow redevelopment down.”
VIS: Where does downtown redevelopment stand? Shouldn’t we have seen progress by now?
Hughes: “Last I heard we are waiting to hear from (Eclipse) about what they’re going to do with their parcel. At this point, I want to say I am cautiously optimistic. The project has changed many times. But, again, if you look at the timeline of what’s been done, we have not been sitting on our hands.”
VIS: We’ve only been around since June 2009. You were the first Valley politician to talk to us.
Hughes: “You’re taking this harder than I am. I don’t think my wife knew I was still an Alderman, to be honest with you.”
VIS: Regrets?
Hughes: “I didn’t push hard enough to convince voters to pass the city-town redevelopment act. It would have changed the economic landscape in Derby, but the opposition spread so much misinformation, voters rejected it.”