Valley Indy Photo
Rich Dziekan, at a press conference earlier this month in Derby.
Now that the dust has settled from the Derby mayoral debate, I’d like to make my final public statement to the voters before next Tuesday’s election.
I first announced my intent to run for Mayor earlier this year on March 22. For the past 7 plus months, I have attended meetings, gone to public events, and most importantly, visited almost 3,000 Derby residents at their homes.
I have lost almost 30 pounds due to these efforts and the stresses associated with running a campaign. In addition, my team has volunteered countless hours of time to gathering information, meeting with residents, and doing the necessary legwork.
I’m proud that we have run a fact-based, grass roots campaign with nothing but Derby people at the core of the effort. At the end of the day, I know that Mayor Dugatto and the Democrats have Derby’s best interest in mind as much as the Republicans and I do.
She has had four years to improve the quality of life for Derby residents, and now I think it’s my turn to lead us in the right direction.
I want to ensure Derby voters that I have a specific plan for economic development and it is multi-faceted with a lot of moving parts. I can tell you that the first thing I will do is get the city’s residential real estate holdings back onto the tax rolls.
As a city, we should not be in the real estate business any more than we should be in the development business. Our job in city hall is to assess and remediate properties so they are as attractive as possible to investors and developers, not to sit on 15 plus properties and come up with a specific plan for each one.
I understand we made calculated decisions to purchase some properties downtown in preparation for execution of a plan, but it is now time to move forward with not only the downtown project, but also get things moving in other stagnant areas.
I will work with surrounding municipalities, the State of Connecticut, and the federal government to secure all available funds and resources. I will consolidate services and combine efforts with anyone and everyone that will help to alleviate the tax burden for the citizens of Derby.
I will bring in a full-time professional staff and hold them accountable to the city. They will give a championship effort in moving Derby forward and they will bring results, not hypothetical plans and promises.
I myself will focus on leading everyone in the city and getting maximum productivity out of each department. Being the Mayor of Derby will be both an honor and a complete lifestyle for me. It will be a 24/7 identity.
I want to be your Mayor and those who have pledged their support to me believe that I’m the right person to lead Derby into the future. I will conclude with a quote:
“Without action, the best intentions in the world are nothing more than that: intentions.”
Mayor Dugatto has no doubt had the best of intentions for our city, but unfortunately she has lacked the foresight and ability to make her plans a reality. I hope I can count on your vote on Nov. 7.
