Sam Gurwitt Photo
As Hamden Mayor Curt Leng stood with his left arm over his wife Stephanie’s shoulder and his right arm raised in front of him, palm facing forward, four words jumped out at him: “Faithfully discharge your duties.”
Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz stood before him Sunday afternoon in the Hamden Middle School auditorium. It was Leng’s fourth time listening and responding to the oath she read:
Mayor, do you solemnly swear that you will faithfully discharge your duties as mayor of the Town of Hamden according to the statutes of the State of Connecticut, the ordinances of the Town of Hamden, and that you will uphold the Constitution of the United States of America and of the State of Connecticut, so help you God?
“I do,” Leng replied.
The first three times he took the oath of office as Hamden’s mayor, Leng hadn’t mulled over the words quite as much, he said, But this time he was struck by the “faithfully discharge” phrase.
“There are more people that are counting on us to do more,” he said afterwards, reflecting on the oath he had just taken.
Council Reps. Dominique Baez and Jody Clouse.
Behind Leng sat the town’s next Legislative Council and three newly elected or reelected members of the Board of Education, as well as Town Clerk Vera Morrison. All had just taken the same oath of office after winning elections on Nov. 5.
“We’ve seen and heard very very clearly what our residents expect from their government, and we need to take that message and we need to deliver,” Leng told the 100-odd people gathered in the cushioned chairs of the auditorium. He continued, echoing President Obama’s first inaugural address: “Today we dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of making Hamden the community we want it to be for everyone and the one that we want for our grandchildren and our great grandchildren.”
“Observe Us Well”
The ceremony began with a performance of Vivaldi’s “Concerto in G Major” by the Hamden High School Chamber String Ensemble. As the students played, elected officials and special guests filed into the auditorium and took their seats on the stage.
Members of the police and fire departments then presented the colors. Pastor Keith King of Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church gave an invocation.
As Hamden High Junior Elena Farley (pictured) sang the national anthem, the elected officials behind her watched, some raising their hands to their hearts, some simply standing in silence.
Along with Bysiewicz, a number of state-level officials and other guests had seats on the stage. State Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney sat just behind the podium. He administered the oath to the Legislative Council. State Sen. George Logan was also there, as was State House Rep. Robyn Porter. Next to Bysiewicz sat former Mayor Scott Jackson, who is now the state commissioner of revenue services. A few seats to his left sat Quinnipiac University President Judy Olian.
After a rendition of “God Bless America” by Hamden Middle School Eighth Grader Lance Mendoza, the new Board of Education members took their oaths. Two are new: Roxana Walker-Canton (pictured above with Bysiewicz) won the Democratic Party’s endorsement at the Democratic Town Committee convention in July. Gary Walsh won a seat for the Republicans, bumping incumbent Republican Victor Mitchell off of the board. Board Chair Chris Daur was the only incumbent who won reelection to the BOE this election cycle.
The council inauguration followed. The new council is composed of nine women and six men, and is the first majority-female council. “This is one of the strongest councils that I’ve seen in 20 years,” said Leng after the ceremony.
Before the ceremony, all of the newly elected women (except for Betty Wetmore and Athena Gary) posed for a photo with Bysiewicz.
Morrison’s inauguration followed.
“All of our town clerks across the state respect [Morrison’s] knowledge, her professionalism, her fair mindedness, and her being a role model for each of them,” said Bysiewicz.
It was Morrison’s 13th inauguration as town clerk. After those 12 terms, she had a few words for her colleagues.
“We can agree to disagree but the business of government must always go forward,” she said. “Politics should never be an excuse for bad behavior.”
And she had a few words for the audience: “We have hard work ahead of us in very difficult times, so continue to observe us well.”
Finally, after a few remarks from Bysiewicz, and an oath, Leng addressed the audience.
He thanked his friends, family, and colleagues, and then began asking the hard questions.
“Let’s be honest with one another … who would probably rather not be here today?” he joked, asking people to raise their hands. Maybe watching football? Maybe with the family? Maybe at the movies watching Frozen 2?
“If you didn’t raise your hand, it’s OK, and it’s very kind and thoughtful, but it also makes you a filthy liar,” he said, prompting a loud wave of laughter. He thanked the crowd for spending Sunday afternoon in the auditorium, watching the inauguration.
“We need all of you. We need everyone’s help, everyone’s comment, everyone’s word of encouragement, and every single criticism that you have, ‘cause we learn from it,” he said.
Rabbi Brian Immerman of Congregation Mishkan Israel gave the benediction, and the ceremony was over. As the newly elected officials stood and made their way to the cafeteria for pastries and plates of cheese, the first few bars of the Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” began to blast over the sound system. After about 30 seconds, the song changed, and Bob Marley’s voice followed.
Don’t worry about a thing. ‘Cause every little thing is gonna be alright.
Watch Bysiewicz’s and Leng’s speeches below:
Politicians Lie
https://youtu.be/66KphHHVLOw
The Politician Prayer.
The Politician is my shepherd; I shall not want,
He leadeth me beside the still factories,
He restoreth my doubt in Politics
He guideth me to the path of unemployment,
He anointeth my wages with taxes,
Surely Poverty and hard living shall follow this administration.And I shall be living in a rented house forever.
5000 years ago, the Politicians said, Pack your camel, pick up your shovel, mount and I shall lead you to the promised land of gentrification.
Today, the Politicians will tax your shovel, sell your camel,screw you and tell you to Vote for me I will set you free