‘I Love My Town’: Rose Mentone Retiring After Decades Of Service To Hamden

HAMDEN, CT — (Contributed article): At a retirement party held in honor of Rose Mentone at Hamden Government Center on Dec. 6, Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett thanked Mentone for her 14 years of service as the town’s Democratic Registrar of Voters.

When it was Mentone’s turn to speak, she quickly updated the record.

“I’ve served the Town of Hamden for more than 50 years,” Mentone reminded the gathering. “I learned from my mother, Mary Velardi, that women could be involved in politics and could be proud to do so.”

When Mentone’s term as Registrar ends on Jan. 4, 2023, she will leave behind a distinguished career as a Hamden politician and community servant.

Growing up on Morse Street, she watched as her mother was elected to represent the town’s Highwood section in the Representative Town Government – the forerunner to the current Legislative Council. When the family relocated to Hill Street, local and regional Democrat heavyweights would often visit Velardi for advice – and a home-cooked meal – during the heat of a campaign.

Mentone remained on Hill Street to start her own family just a half-mile away. Along with her husband, Tony Mentone, she caught the political bug from her mother.

In 1983, Mentone became the first woman to be selected as Hamden’s Democratic Town Chairman. After five years in that position, she spent six more on the Democratic State Central Committee from Connecticut’s 17th Senatorial District. A brief stint on the Hamden Board of Education followed, as did several other service activities and seats on boards and commissions.

Recognition came often.

Mentone was named the 1990 Hamden Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, earned the Secretary of the State’s 2006 Public Service Award, and had a pair of prestigious honors bestowed upon her in 2008 – the Connecticut Democratic Women Leadership Award and the Hamden High School Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award, the latter from the Hamden Education Foundation. But seeking the spotlight for herself was never her motivation.

“As a lifelong resident, I love my town,” Mentone said. “Community service was first a way to follow in my mother’s footsteps. It then became a method to contribute positively to Hamden and to set a good example for my children (Mark, now 48, of Hamden and Matthew, 45 of Durham).”

An educator by trade, Mentone spent 34 years in the New Haven Public School System, the first 30 as a teacher of Italian, English and journalism at Wilbur Cross High School. Health issues forced an early retirement, but she stayed active by working part-time for Experience Corps, scheduling tutors in Hamden Public Schools.

In 2008, then-Hamden Democratic Town Chairman Joe McDonagh called upon Mentone and her husband to help fill an upcoming opening in the Registrar of Voters role. Tony enthusiastically endorsed his wife, and Rose took her first oath of office in January 2009. Tony sadly died of a heart attack in October of 2009, leaving Rose to solider on alone in the role.

“I miss my husband so much; we did everything together,” Mentone said. “He was my first Assistant Registrar in the 8th District, so I used to joke that I was his boss. But I would never have taken the job without his encouragement. This position gave me one more tie to my lifelong passion for politics. Voting is a fundamental right under the U.S. Constitution, and I wanted to help make sure Hamden voters had confidence in their elections.”

Tony Esposito was Mentone’s Republican counterpart in the Registrar’s office during all 14 years. Esposito says that his relationship with Mentone was all about servicing the Hamden electorate.

“First and foremost, Rose and I always worked together as a team,” said Esposito, a retired Hamden High School mathematics teacher. “We understood that the job came first and politics stopped at the door. We treated everyone with equal respect regardless of party affiliation, and we impressed that upon our poll workers as well.”

Perhaps no one got to know Mentone better during her tenure then her Deputy Registrar, MaryAnn “Mickey” Flanagan. As Mentone once again struggled with health – the reason she cites for her retirement – Flanagan became an assistant not only in the office, but in life.

“I had been on the Democratic Town Committee years ago and had just retired from my job when Rose became Registrar,” Flanagan said. “I contacted her and said I’d like to become more involved – and she asked me to be her deputy! I had always respected Rose’s knowledge and political acumen, but working with her up close, I got to see her organizational and communication skills – along with that ‘old-school’ politics. I was always happy to help because I admired her strength and resilience. What she has accomplished despite her many health issues is remarkable and inspirational.”

Mentone, 75, has made it known that she will not be a stranger in retirement.

“My successor, LuShonda Howard, has all my contact information and knows she can reach me any time she needs to,” Mentone said. “I’ve also told both her and Tony that I wouldn’t mind working an election as long as I don’t have to wake up at 4 a.m. Meanwhile, there’s lots of reading and relaxing – and catching up with my Facebook friends – in my future.”