Nora Grace-Flood photo
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysewiecz swears in Mayor Lauren Garrett alongside her children Abby, Connor, and Bobby.
Lauren Garrett took the oath of office Sunday as Hamden’s 14th mayor along with a diverse slate of new municipal officials.
On the first snow of the season, Garrett, a Michigan native, stood on the stage of Hamden’s Middle School, hugging her three children as Lt. Gov. Susan Bysewiecz, chair of the Governors’ Council on Women and Girls, officially swore her in to public office.
Garrett’s term lasts two years. (Hamden elected its first mayor, John DeNicola Sr., in 1965; before that, the town had a first selectman as chief executive.)
“I want to thank my family,” Garrett, a Democrat, said as she rose to the podium, her Hamden public school-educated kids filing back into the audience. Her voice began to waver as she looked first towards her daughter and sons: “I want to thank my children who mean so much to me.”
Then she turned to look at the crowd that practically filled the school’s auditorium.
“I want you all to know that I will treat every person in this town like they’re my child — with that same sense of responsibility that I have for my own children.”
Garrett launched into a summary of the policies she has promised to pursue, beginning with schools: Establishing universal pre‑k; instituting culturally responsive curriculum; hiring more diverse educators; reducing bias in disciplining of students; increasing opportunities for post secondary education.
Other objectives include growing Hamden’s grand list; rewriting zoning regulations; and taking advantage of “once in a lifetime” federal funding opportunities like the president’s infrastructure law to focus on building a more equitable and environmentally conscious town.
Karimah Mickens-Webber, newly titled town clerk, with husband, and returning Legislative Council member, Adrian Webber.
Abdul Osmanu, at right with fellow Council member Justin Farmer, turned 20 the same day as the inauguration. What’s he doing to celebrate? “This,” he said. “And then, whatever.”
Garrett said she plans to accomplish those goals with the help of colleagues who were also inaugurated on Sunday. The newly sworn in officials include Karimah Mickens, the town’s first Black town clerk, as well as Legislative Council representatives Dominique Baez; Kathleen Kiely; Lesley DeNardis; Laurie Sweet; Cory O’Brien; Elizabeth Wetmore; Kristin Zaehringer; Jeron Alston; Abdul Osmanu; Sarah Gallagher; Justin Farmer; Paula Irvin; Adrian Webber; Ted Stevens; and Marjorie Bonadies, and Board of Education members David Asberry; Mariam Khan; Siobhan Carter-David; Austin Cesare; Melissa Kaplan-Charkow; Reuel Parks; and Kevin Shea.
“It is one of the most diverse teams of any in the state,” Bysewiecz said Sunday. “I know that because I’ve had the privilege of helping swear in other elected municipal officials” across the state.
“And as a person who chairs the Governors’ Council on Women and Girls,” she added, “let me just say — this team has strong, fierce, competent females.” Bysewiecz invited all the elected women to stand: 14 of the 26 officials, more than half, jumped up.
“Ladies, you are trailblazers, you are role models for our young people,” Bysewiecz told them.
Eleven individuals sworn in Sunday — roughly 40 percent — are also people of color.
“I do think that Hamden has done something very historic in this election,” Bysewiecz said.
Jay Kaye, who ran as an independent for council but lost, stands with Blumenthal. “Even if you’re on the bench, you gotta be a team player,” he said. Showing up to the inauguration means “staying involved” in town happenings.
Bysewiecz was joined by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, State Senate President Martin Looney, and State Reps. Mike D’Agostino and Josh Elliott when swearing in the officials. The inauguration was framed by speeches from local faith leaders.
During the invocation, Rabbi Herbert Brockman of Congregation Mishkan Israel noted the wintry weather: “Nature reminds us that change is inevitable. We begin with change, first with gratitude for those who came before us, and who undertook the challenge of leadership in our community.
As he spoke, Town Clerk Vera Morrison, whose retirement has come after 26 years of service to Hamden, sat in the front row of the chairs arranged on the stage. A few seats down, successor Karimah Mickens closed her eyes while listening to Rabbi Brockman’s words.
“Our community has chosen its next leadership as we strive to be a community of justice, of fairness, of equity,” Brockman continued.
Pastor Daniel Bland of the Mt. Calvary Revival Center: “Today was a good day.”
In the benediction, Rev. Lindasusan Ulrich of the Unitarian Society of New Haven continued on Brockman’s theme:
“A new wind is rising —
More than a breath of fresh air,
It sings along streets and alleys
Resonates through hallowed halls
Bellows, “Hope!” loudly enough to wake a giant
Whispers, “Justice!” into every ear it finds”
Pastor Daniel Bland of the Mt. Calvary Revival Center concluded the ceremony by offering the words of his own icon. “I echo the sentiments of philosopher, rapper, actor Ice Cube,” he said, “as I say that today was a good day.”
Watch the inauguration in full here.