Laura Glesby Photo
The Ward 5 Democratic Ward Committee hears from City Clerk Michael Smart.
The Ward 5 Democratic Ward Committee in the Hill endorsed a familiar face for alder on Tuesday evening, in addition to backing the incumbent for mayor.
The committee convened at the police station at 410 Howard Ave. to register support for candidates for the Democratic nominations. It voted to support longtime Hill resident Kampton Singh for a vacant seat representing Ward 5 on the Board of Alders, as well as Mayor Toni Harp for reelection.
Current Ward 5 Alder David Reyes, who is not running for reelection, had encouraged Singh to run for the open alder seat. “It was a no brainer,” Reyes told the group, citing Singh’s active presence in the neighborhood.
Singh, who once served as the ward’s co-chair, has lived in the Hill for 30 years. “I’ve always been an advocate for the neighborhood,” he said after the meeting.
Singh grew up in British Guyana, and moved to New York in 1972. He found his way to New Haven in 1984, where he built a career as a property manager in the Hill. At the time, “the economy was crashing,” he recalled. “I started to purchase properties to get them off the blight path.”
As a landlord, his day to day work involves walking the neighborhood’s streets. “That’s what keeps me grounded here,” he said. “If something happens, before it hits the news, I know about it.”
Kampton Singh.
In his spare time, Singh helps to organize the annual Christmas Tree in Kimberly Square and a turkey drive for Thanksgiving. He has also pitched in at a neighborhood recycling initiative, served on New Haven’s Fair Rent Commission, and assisted the Livable City Initiative, the city’s anti-blight program.
Singh said he hopes to bolster public safety, increase funding for education, and create more jobs as an alder. He also promised to stay on top of logistics such as sweeping streets and snow removal.
“I want to be at the table so I can have a voice. So the neighborhood can have a voice,” Singh said.
“He got my vote, whatever he’s running for,” one resident responded. The group voted unanimously to endorse him.
The committee additionally voted to endorse Michael Smart, who is currently running unopposed for re-election as city clerk.
In the mayoral contest, 12 committee members voted in favor of endorsing Harp, while four abstained from voting. Ward Committee Co-Chair John Dye said he will vote for Harp, as per the committee’s endorsement, at an upcoming convention of ward co-chairs to endorse a mayoral candidate. Harp faces a spirited Democratic primary challenge from Justin Elicker.
After the meeting, Reyes said he appreciated that Harp’s appointee for the city’s police chief, Otoniel Reyes, is a lifelong New Havener who grew up in the Hill. He also praised Harp’s economic development record, which includes a deal to build on 11 acre sin the Hill that lay fallow for decades.
“The Hill still believes in her,” Reyes said.
David Reyes thanks the committee for its support.
Reyes had decided not to run for re-election after taking a job with Gov. Ned Lamont’s Office of Policy and Management.
“I’m a Hill kid — born and raised here,” Reyes told the committee. He expressed pride in the neighborhood’s improved graduation rates and police presence during his four years as an alder. He said he hoped his political career embodied a message he’s shared with local kids: “Just ‘cause you’re from the ‘hood, it don’t mean that you can’t be something.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying,” Reyes added. He plans to fill one of the ward’s now-vacant co-chair positions, alongside Johnny Dye. He promised to be available to Singh as a source of advice. “And you all have my number,” he said to the committee.
Kampton Singh is a great choice for Ward 5 Alder. He is a well known dedicated member of the Hill community and will serve the people well in this position. He will also help to keep the other Hill Alders accountable to the people they were elected to serve. We thank Alder David Reyes for his service and devotion to the Hill, and glad that he is staying in the neighborhood. I am not so pleased with the Ward endorsement of the incumbent Mayor as the Party choice ... but she is the choice of the committee members ... not necessarily the majority of the residents. And I appreciate Mr. Dye's commitment as Ward committee Co-chair to adhere to the Party endorsement, although it sounds like this may not be his personal choice.