Has John DeStefano become an “absentee mayor” too busy running for governor, as his opponents charge in this fall’s campaign? Or is he working as hard as ever to get the job done? Judge for yourself by taking a look at the mayor’s daily schedule.
The mayor’s office released the schedule in response to a Freedom of Information request from the Independent.
The period below covers the first two weeks of October. It has gaps, hours with nothing filled in. Those gaps can be interpreted two ways. They could include the hours upon hours that gubernatorial candidates spend on the phone each day hitting up rich people statewide for campaign contributions. Or they could, as DeStefano’s press aide Derek Slap says, merely reflect that advance schedules like these routinely leave out the unexpected events and demands that arise every day.
DeStefano’s critics charge that while he has run around the state seeking the 2006 gubernatorial nod, he has been away from town too often and too slow to react to pressing issues like the spike in street crime and the cutbacks in youth programs.
DeStefano, in a recent mayoral debate, responded by saying that all of New Haven, not just John DeStefano, is running for governor. In an Independent interview, he said that traveling the state makes hiim a better mayor. His press office provided a summary of accomplishments they attribute to the mayor in this latest term; click here to read more about that.
Here’s the schedule, as provided by the mayor’s office.
Saturday 10/1/2005
- Kathy away
9:30a‑9:45a: Mayor to give brief remarks at LEAP/Comcast event/photo op31 Jefferson St. 10:00a-11:00a: Hold (10 to 5) 6:30p-6:45p: Campaign driver to pick up mayor at 150 Judwin Avenue <img class="photo" alt="Spotted in town Oct. 1. DeStefano at a prom-themed fund-raiser for his gubernatorial campaign at Eli Whitney Museum." src="http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/upload/2005/10/DeStefano at fund-raiser.jpg" width="215" height="269" title="Andy Horowitz Photo" />6:45p-7:45p: Pre-prom dinnerClaudia Merson’s 18 Everit St. New Haven
8:00p-12:00a: PromEli Whitney Museum 915 Whitney Ave. 9:45ap-10:45p: Stop by/ Love Makes a Familyl BenefitFour Points Sheraton 275 Research Parkway Meriden
Sunday 10/2/2005
- Kathy Away
9:15a-10:00a: Becky to pick up mayor150 Judwin Ave. 10:00a-11:00a: Rocky Hill Democratic Town Committee BrunchOn The Border Silas Deane Highway Rocky Hill (9 to 11)
12:30p‑1:30p: Mayor to leave for Bridgeport
1:30p‑2:30p: Lambda legal fundraiserhome of John Stastrom (12 to 3) 3:45p-5:00p: Hold/lg (3:45 to 5:00) 5:00p-6:00p: Stop by/Ward 7/First Annual Downtown Neighborhood PicnicTemple Plaza (4 to 6) rain or shine!
6:00p‑7:00p: Mtg. @150 Judwin Ave.
Monday 10/3/2005
10:15a-11:15a: 135 East Ave. Norwalk
12:00p‑1:00p: Mayor to give brief remarks at “Hablamos Espanol” roll out City Hall
12:45p-1:15p: Conf. call w Scott, et als 129 Church St
1:30p‑2:30p: Mtg. w New Haven Register editorial board
2:30p‑4:15p: Hold
4:15p‑4:30p: Mtg. w Karen Dubois Walton and Andy Rizzo
4:30p‑5:00p: Scheduling mtg. w Karen DuBois Walton, Rob Smuts, Chrissy Bonanno, Kate McAdams, Paul Nunez, Derek Slap, Shonu Gandhi and Rosemarie Lemley
5:00p‑6:00p: Mtg. w Larry DeNardis, Henry Fernandez, Bruce ALexander and Wendy Clarke
Tuesday 10/4/2005
6:30a‑7:30a: Police to pick up mayor 150 Judwin Ave.
9:00a-10:00a: Delegation mtg. mayor’s office
10:30a-11:30a: Lynn Fusco to call mayor on cell
12:00p‑1:00p: Putnam Restaurant 373 Greenwich Ave. Greenwich
1:15p-2:00p: Stop by/10 Wall St. Norwalk
3:00p-3:15p: Mayor to tape lead paint message WYBC 142 Temple St.
4:30p‑5:45p: 1965 Dixwell Ave. Hamden
6:15p‑7:15p: DLC Golf Classic Dinner @ Great River Golf Club 130 Coram Rd. Milford
Wednesday 10/5/2005
7:10a‑7:20a: Mayor to call in to WELI (288‑1022) Mayor should call about 7:08
8:15a‑9:15a: Bella’s
10:00a-11:00a: 288 River Road Deep River
11:30a-12:30p: 66 Seldon Road Lyne
2:00p – 3:00p: Mtg. w Rev Champagne, Karen DuBois Walton, et als
Thursday 10/6/2005
6:45a‑7:30a: Kara French to pick up mayor@150 Judwin Ave.
7:30a‑8:30a: Women to Women Fundraising event Tashua Knolls Golf Course Trumbull
9:30a-9:45a: Bill Gilbane to call mayor on cell
10:00a-11:00a: <a href="http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/hidden/extra_extra/index.html#000298">Police endorsement Capitol steps Hartford
11:00a-12:00p: 5 Old Windsor Rd. Bloomfield
12:00p‑1:00p: Hearing on binding arbitration LOB Room 2D
1:15p-1:30b: Mayor Fabrizi to call mayor on cell
2:00p-3:00p: The Rusell Coffee House 103 Pratt St. Hartford
3:30p‑4:30p: 16 Townsend Road Farmington
6:30p‑7:30p: Town and Country Club 22 Woodland St. Hartford
7:30p-9:00p: Stop by JP Hawthorne Inn Berlin Turnpike Berlin
9:00p-10:00p: FYI/Justice for Children International Benefit Moka 141 Orange St. (7:30 to 10)
Friday 10/7/2005
7:20a‑8:50a: Becky to pick up mayor 165 Church St.
9:00a-10:00a: Radio interview at WINY 45 Pomfret Street
11:15a-12:15p: CEIU Interview Crystal Lake Pavilion 144 Prout Hill Road Middletown (Chrissy will meet mayor)
1:00p-2:00p: 280 Trumbull St. 2nd Street Hartford
3:15p-4:15p: Mtg. w Marie Kirkley Bey LOB Rm 4017 Hartford
5:00p‑6:00p: Mayor to be on “Let’s Talk About It” WILI 720 Main St. Willimantic
6:00p-6:30p: Stop by/reception honoring Dawn Niles Artspace Meeting Room Lower Main St. (480 Main St.) Windham
7:00p‑8:00p: Philip Voigt calling hours Iovanne Funderal Home (4 to 8)
8:15p-9:15p: Stop by/mayor to give brief remarks at Columbus Day dinner Anthony’s Rest. 450 Lighthouse Rd.
Saturday 10/8/2005
10:00a-11:00a: Funeral mass for Philip Voigt Sacred Heart Church
5:30p-6:30p: David Hartman to pick up mayor Judwin Ave.
6:30p‑7:30p: Latino Awards Dinner/Chief Ortiz @Foxwoods Casiono Ledyard
Sunday 10/9/2005
10:00a-11:00a: St. Thomas
12:30p‑6:30p: David Hartman to pick up mayor 150 Judwin Ave.
12:45p-3:00p: Columbus Day Parade Hamden High School Dixwell Ave. Hamden (Dixwell Avenue to Government Center) In the event of inclement weather call (287‑2546) by 8:30 AM! Mayor Amento
3:30p‑3:45p: Stop by/Democracy for America’s special event w/ howard Dean Belvedere 70 Pond Lily Ave. New Haven
5:00p-6:00p: Michael Amante Concert Norwalk Concert Hall 125 East Ave. Norwalk
Monday 10/10/2005
- Holiday!/Hold for mayor
Tuesday 10/11/2005
- Fairfield Day
6;30a‑7:30a: Police to pick, up mayor150 Judwin Ave. 8:15a-9:15a: Clarke's 10:00a-11:00a:Starbuck’s 19 Post Road West Westport
12:00p‑1:00p: 35 Mason St. 3rd floor Greenwich
2:30p‑3:30p: Scheduling mtg. w Karen DuBois Walton, Rob Smuts, Chrissy Bonanno, Kate McAdams, Paul Nunez, Derek Slap, Shonu Gandhi, Michael DePalma and Rosemarie Lemley
3:30p‑4:00p: Mtg. w Karen DuBois Walton, Frank Altieri, Mark Pietrosimone and Joe Clerkin Re: Budget
4:00p‑5:00p: Mtg. wi Jim Maloney, et alsmayor's office 5:00p-6:00p: Mayor's Night In 8:00p-9:00p: New Canaan Town Comte. mtg.Town Hall/main auditorium/back door Main St. New Canaan
Wednesday 10/12/2005
- Yom Kippur
6:30a‑7:30a: Police to pick up mayor150 Judwin Ave. 9:30a-10:30a: Mayor to call Peter Hurst 11:00a-12:00p: 211 State St. Bridgeport 11:30a-12:30p: Bridgeport Hsptl.267 Grant St. Bpt.
4:30 – 6:30p: 18 Tinkerfield Rd. Newtown
Thursday 10/13/2005
- Yom Kippur
6:30a‑7:30a: Police to pick up mayor150 Judwin Ave. 8:15a-9:15a: Bella's 12:00p-1:00p: Lieut. GovernorMax’s Oyster Bar 964 Farmington Ave. West Hartford
1:30p‑2:30p: The Ruseell103 Pratt St. Hartford 4:00p-5:00p: Mtg.Mayor’s office
5:00p‑6:00p: Camille Schimelfanick calling hours:Iovanne Funeral Home Wooster Place (4 to 8) 6:45p-7:00p: Mayor to meet Maurry BownBrooklyn Town Hall 4 Wolf Den Rd. Brooklyn
7:00p‑8:00p: Brooklyn Democratic Town Committee mtg. @ Creamery Brook Retirement Community Center Brooklyn
Friday 10/14/2005
- Hartford Day
6:30a‑7:30a: Police to pick up mayor150 Judwin Ave. 8:00a-9:00a: Mayor to leave from St. Mary's ChurchHillhouse Ave.
9:00a-10:00a: Mtg. w Greg HaddaCapitol Cafeteria 210 Capitol Ave. Hartford 10:30a-11:30a: Mtg. w Joe Harper2150 Corbin Ave. New Britain
12:00p‑1:00p: Tapas126 Anne St. Hartford 1:30p-1:45p: 70 Vernon Street/Trinity Colelge Italian Consulate Office Hartford 2:00p-3:00p: LB210 Capitol Ave. Hartford
3:30p‑4:30p: The Rusell103 Pratt St. Hartford 5:00p-6:00p: Dishes267 Farmington Ave. Hartford
7:30p‑8:30p: Savin Rock Conference Center/Kathy
If you don't understand that John DeStefano getting elected Governor would be the best thing ever for New Haven, well, I don't know what to say.
To accomplish that, he has to be out on the road consistently.
In the meantime, do we have a better potential mayor in the ranks? ---Nothing against Gary Jenkins, Jorge Perez, or Carl Goldfield, but I, for one, am glad DeStefano remains at the helm. In the absence of a quality replacement, I want to see DeStefano as Mayor for as long as possible. The question you might ought to ask instead is why New Haven wouldn't have a special election in the case that John wins the Gubernatorial race.