The Blog that Works

At the end of my 14-year administration, I’ve had ample opportunity to reflect back on my time as Stamford’s mayor. It’s been an honor and privilege; an experience that I will always look back on with great fondness, appreciation, and a deep sense of pride over what we’ve been able to accomplish together.

When I took office in 1995, I set out to change the relationship that the city and my administration had with the people of Stamford. My cabinet and I sought to increase transparency and communication between the city and the people we serve. To do so, we created services such as citizens’ office hours and the Citizens’ Service Center, whose sole purpose is to respond to requests in a timely and efficient manner. These programs have helped open the door for residents to call upon city employees for assistance and support.

One of my top priorities has been to make Stamford a safer community in which to live. work and raise a family. Since 1995, the city’s crime rate has decreased over 62 percent, earning us a consistent FBI ranking as one of the safest cities in the United States. Our public safety successes have enabled my administration to pursue a legislative agenda that has sought to revitalize Stamford’s economy, to advance affordable housing initiatives, make dramatic transportation improvements, make Stamford the only city in the state to guarantee early childhood education no matter a family’s income and to restructure the public schools to prepare our children to enter the nation’s competitive workforce. These initiatives have helped our city to grow in into the bustling, diverse and economically vibrant community we now know.

By working together, we’ve accomplished great things for the many people who live and work in our city. Our accomplishments in education, safety, housing, public health, the environment, economic development and many, many other areas have put Stamford on a national stage as a leader for municipal best practices, earning our city four separate city Livability Awards from the United States Conference of Mayors. Together, we changed Stamford’s landscape for the better and have set the stage for future growth. We have worked hard and accomplished a great deal in times of prosperity and in times of economic hardship.

My administration could not have accomplished all that we have achieved over the last 14 years without the hard work and dedication of each and every one of our employees and the participation of every member of the Stamford community. I am grateful for all of the city of Stamford employees for the hard work that they do, and for each and every one of you – for making Stamford the special and unique community that we call home, and for always holding me and my administration to the standard that this great city deserves.

It has been a privilege to serve as your mayor.