Hartford’s new leaders — a new mayor and a new city council president — were optimistic at the first meeting of the year.
Mayor Arunan Arulampalam was sworn in at midnight on New Year’s Eve at the city’s First Night celebration. City councilors and treasurer Carmen Sierra were sworn in Monday night at 2024’s first council meeting.
Hundreds gathered at City Hall to see the swearing in and the election of the new council president, Democrat Shirley Surgeon, who has unanimously elected.
Surgeon, first elected to council in 2020, secured the most votes in the last election. Maly Rosado had held the leadership role since 2020.
Surgeon gave an impassioned speech centered on the theme of unity and said she hopes to use her new role to empower residents.
“Together we can shape the future of our city,” Surgeon said. “We will write it together with commitment, compassion, courage, and pride. This is not about a title, this is about serving our residents. We must ensure that every citizen feels represented regardless of their background or circumstances. We must surely build an inclusive and equitable city.”
Surgeon said she hopes to get to work supporting local businesses and economic growth. The two-term councilwoman, who is well known for her love of coffee, said she would like to see more coffee shops open in the city.
“More coffee shops mean economic growth. Let’s have more coffee shops,” Surgeon joked as the crowd cheered.
Incumbent council members Rosado, Surgeon, Marilyn Rossetti, Amilcar Hernandez, John Gale, and Josh Michtom all were sworn in to begin a new term on the council. The city council, which consists of nine members, remains virtually unchanged after the fall election. The council has a Democratic majority with six Democrats, two Working Families Party members, and councilman John Gale who formed his own party.
Democrat Kelly Bilodeau, former town clerk for East Hampton, and a lifelong resident of Hartford was sworn in for her first term. She previously served as assistant city clerk from 2009 to 2018. Prior to that, she was employed with the city as an administrative assistant in the clerk’s office.
Working Families Party member Pastor Alex Thomas was also sworn in. Thomas is associate pastor at South Church in Hartford.
But the biggest change of the night was Arulampalam, leading his first council meeting. The mayor also gave an impassioned speech about working together and finding common ground. Arulampalam remarked on the snow storm response over the weekend as the first real test for the city working together to overcome an obstacle. The mayor along with three city council members helped shovel snow from driveways of elderly and disabled residents on Sunday.
“I don’t know if there is a better metaphor for working together than literally picking up a shovel and jumping in a car and shoveling people out of the snow,” Arulampalam said. “There are nine council members, and three different political parties represented, and at least nine different opinions on how best to solve our problems as a city. While we have many differences, when it snows in this city or when we have challenges, we pick up shovels and we start digging together. That is what is so incredible about this city. If we can do that for the next four years, if we can pick up our shovels and do out little part, there is nothing we can’t do.”
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com
