Politics
Jason Van Stone
The Waterbury Republican Town Committee elected new officers this evening at its March meeting. Jason Van Stone, the former vice chairman and current Board of Education commissioner, was unanimously chosen to lead the local GOP for the next two years.
Waterbury mayor, Neil O'Leary, right, watched as former mayor Mike Jarjura proceeded to the microphone to denounce O'Leary's plans to finance economic development out of the mayor's budget.
By John Murray
Former five-term mayor, Mike Jarjura made a surprise visit to the Board of Aldermen meeting tonight to speak out against transferring money to the mayor's office to fund two new economic development positions. Jarjura said the move would create a financial burden in tough economic times, and chided the aldermen that they would have opposed the concept had he proposed it last spring.
Waterbury's 46th mayor, Neil O'Leary, was a happy man Friday night at his ceremonial swearing-in on the stage of the Palace Theater. O'Leary took the official oath of office at 12:01 on December 1st, This one was for a celebration. Photo by John Murray
Sharp divisions from a bruising mayoral election were on display on the first day, at the first press conference of Mayor O'Leary's term. O'Leary clashed with State Rep. David Aldarando, left, about the best way to get out the vote in the largely Hispanic South End of the city. O'Leary refused to pay $50,000 to finance the effort and stated Aldarondo was "shaking him down".
State Rep. Jeff Berger, State Senator Joan Hartley and State Rep. Larry Butler at the Brownfields press conference in Waterbury City Hall.
Photographs By John Murray
Brownfields are contaminated and often long-abandoned properties that can be remediated and turned into productive sites for economic development, open space or other public uses. Rep. Berger has been working to bring state and federal dollars to Waterbury as many properties lay contaminated and dormant due to its industrial history.
Neil O'Leary was sworn in as mayor of Waterbury at 12:01 am today in a brief ceremony inside City Hall. The ceremony was originally planned as a small gathering of family and friends inside the mayor's office, but at the stroke of midnight there were 200 people packed into aldermanic chambers to witness the event. Afterwards, O'Leary made his way down to the mayor's office where he tried out his new chair and checked out some strategic items placed on the desk by his transition team (including name cards and keys to a vehicle). A second swearing-in ceremony will take place Friday night at the Palace Theater on East Main Street. The public is invited. The Observer will publish more images later on today.
Ronald Pugliese was born and raised in Waterbury, and currently heads up the East Hartford Chamber of Commerce.
Mayor-elect Neil O'Leary addressed the crowd packed into his Grand Street headquarters on election night after learning he had defeated five-term incumbent, Mayor Mike Jarjura. Photograph By John Murray
Waterbury’s elected officials will take the oath of office at a public ceremony to be held at the Palace Theater on Friday, December 2. The program will begin with a Mass at 5:00pm at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, located on the Green in Waterbury, with Henry J. Mansell, Archbishop of Hartford, as the principal celebrant. Clergy from within Waterbury will also be invited to participate. Immediately following the Mass, most of the participants, other dignitaries, and several marching bands will join a procession, led by newly-elected Mayor Neil M. O’Leary, to the Palace Theater on East Main St.
The ceremony at the Palace Theater will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by a reception catered by the Waterbury Public School Culinary Arts program in the Palace Theater lobby, starting at 7:30 p.m. The O’Leary transition team anticipates more than 1,000 people will attend the ceremony and reception. Numerous state dignitaries are expected to attend the swearing in ceremony. The event is free and open to the public.
Story and Photograph By John Murray
General Bill Cugno, a prominent figure in Waterbury politics under the administration of former mayor, Philip Giordano, died unexpectedly last week in Naples, Florida. He was 63 years old. Cugno burst on the political scene in Waterbury in early 1996 when he was appointed Giordano's chief of staff. His impact was immediate, and high octane. Cugno was responsible for the daily operations in the city, and used his extensive military background to organize the Giordano team.
Charles Stango
Story and Photographs By John Murray
Republican Charles Stango has been mentioned by mayor-elect Neil O'Leary as a strong candidate to serve as the next president of the Waterbury Board of Education. O'Leary, a Democrat, said he is unfazed about crossing political lines to find the right individual to help move Waterbury forward. "I don't care about political party so much as who can get get the job done," O'Leary told the Observer on Saturday. "Charles Stango is the elder statesmen on the board right now and I think he would do an excellent job as board president."