NORWICH – Annual appointments by Mayor Joseph Maiurano and the Common Council to various commissions, boards and other committees were unanimously approved last night.
Second Ward Alderman Terry Bresina and Sixth Ward Alderman Robert Jeffrey were nominated and subsequently adopted as president of the council and acting mayor, respectively, each for a term of one year. First and Third Ward Aldermen Robert Carey and John Deierlein will once again join Bresina on the council’s Finance/Personnel Committee, while Jeffrey will be joined by Fourth and Fifth Ward Aldermen Walter Schermerhorn and Paul Laughlin as the Public Works/Safety Committee for the Common Council.
Local residents Thomas Knapp and Gary Brookins were both re-appointed to three-year terms on the city’s Traffic Commission – which, among other duties, determines changes in regards to traffic necessary for safety reasons – along with Scott Sutton, appointed for the remainder of a three-year term which will expire at the end of 2011.
“Tom and Gary have served for quite a long time and we’re glad to re-appoint them,” said Maiurano. “We thank them for their time and service to the community.”
The mayor also wished to thank Planning Commission appointees Richard Mirabito, Joe Stagliano and Harry Graves for their service on various commissions in the past and said he and the members of the Common Council were grateful for their time and effort. The Planning Commission is currently working to revise the city’s comprehensive plan, last updated in 2003 and utilized any time city officials seek grant moneys, according to the mayor.
“These individuals, their service and commitment to the community, all of them, is probably under-appreciated,” said Maiurano. “They help direct us to the needs of the community and they’re very professional and just good people.”
Additional mayoral appointments included Graves, Brian Burton and Jacqueline Williams to the city’s Youth Board and Judie Wright, George Cleveland, Bartolo Natoli and Peter Mennis to the city’s Zoning Board.
Common Council-approved mayoral appointments included local residents Gilbert Harrington, Rita DeMarko and Chris Sprague to the Parks Commission; Jennifer Rebecca Hargrave, Lora Lee Russo and Marilyn Kochersperger to the Street Tree Committee and Julian Drelich, Jr. and Anthony Caezza to the Water Board.
Maiurano praised Harrington, DeMarko and Sprague for their work with Public Works Superintendent Carl Ivarson and Assistant Public Works Superintendent Mark Williams in the past, and said the members of all three groups had done a “fantastic job” throughout 2010.
“We’re very fortunate to have such high-quality commissions and these people are very good at what they do. It certainly makes my job easier,” added the mayor. “Each and every one of these people are just one piece of the puzzle and having them in these positions helps myself and city officials to make good decisions in regards to the community.”