The View from the Mayor's Office: Week One

It is difficult to believe that a week has passed. A week that started with ceremony, the blended voices of the Ledyard High School Chamber Choir and well-wishing from family and friends soon turned to the reality of a new administration.  Thanks to the organization skills of my Mayoral Assistant, Mark Bancroft, and the uninterrupted performance of the town hall’s professional staff, I was left to unpack in my “home” for the next four years.  From time to time the fact that this was the office which from which previous Mayors Arthur Jerbet, Al Clark, Mary McGrattan, Joseph Lozier, Wesley Johnson, Susan Mendenhall and Fred Allyn Jr led for over 40 years.  How many times I sat in this office never once imagining that I would have a place with these who preceded me.

Six separate meetings allowed me to address all our town employees in an effort to let them know that every town employee has a relationship to each other and together we serve our employer and customer, the Town of Ledyard.  Numerous other meetings brought the reality that while this job will have challenges, the talented and skilled staff is not hesitant to propose efficient solutions.  As with most new jobs time management is the greatest challenge and the day goes by quickly. 

The week ended with a stop at the Paws and Claus event at the High School where not only was the Ag-Science building full of pets and their owners waiting to see Santa, but the rest of the school bustled with the typical sports and social activities of a Friday evening. A wonderful reminder what makes the office of Mayor an incredible honor – the community spirit and quality of life that is Ledyard.