GREENWICH, CT — Pledging to work together with a common goal of improving the town, the Greenwich Board of Selectmen was sworn in during a ceremony at Greenwich High School last Friday.
Republicans First Selectman Fred Camillo and Selectwoman Lauren Rabin will embark on a third term in office, while Selectperson Janet Stone McGuigan, a Democrat, will begin her second term.
The three each took the oath of office and offered up brief remarks about their aspirations for the future.
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“It’s such an honor for me, having been born and raised here, to be able to serve my hometown that I love very, very much as you all do,” Camillo told the audience. “It is the greatest town in the country, but we’re going to continue to work at that to make it an even better town. I ask you all for your continued participation, partnership and prayers as we go forward.”
Camillo defeated Democratic challenger Laura Erickson last month, garnering nearly 60 percent of the vote. Camillo recounted his first two terms and looked ahead to the next one.
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“To say the first two terms were challenging and turbulent would probably be the mother of all understatements, but through all the superstorms, 500-year floods and 100-year pandemics and a constant barrage of legislation from Hartford that was aimed to diminish local control of zoning, we’ve come out of it not just good, we’ve come out of it great,” Camillo said, noting Greenwich’s place among various lists and studies related to schools and quality of public safety.
“Like every high-functioning and high-performing organization, whether it be a sports team, a government, or a business, you can never rest on your laurels,” Camillo added.
In the next term, Camillo said he wants to focus on advancing projects and ideas from his first two terms, such as improving pedestrian safety with new sidewalks, crosswalks and improved intersections.
A hallmark of his tenure in office thus far, Camillo said he plans to pursue more public/private partnerships to benefit taxpayers and bring projects to the finish line.
“We want to look at the assets we have around town that are underutilized, and in some cases, misused,” Camillo said. He noted the Havemeyer Building, where the Board of Education operates, on Greenwich Avenue.
An advisory committee on the building has been formed to identify, evaluate and possibly recommend potential options for the future use of the building and the site. Camillo called the initiative “a game-changer” for the town.
Rabin said she wants to have more of an impact in her role going forward.
“I want to spend more time attending neighborhood associations, and RTM district meetings and I want to hear directly from all of you, our residents, and make sure I can help clarify the information that comes from all of our different sources. We know that our form of government is unique and I want to help educate you, our residents, on all the different rules and responsibilities,” Rabin said, mentioning a desire to add a “chat” feature on the town website to improve the way information is presented.
Rabin also said she’s looking forward to seeing results from the town’s resident satisfaction survey to better understand how the community views government services.
“I’m so grateful for the voters for trusting me for another two years, and feel free to contact me any time to discuss concerns, give me your feedback or just say hi,” Rabin said.
Stone McGuigan earned the third-highest vote total among Board of Selectmen candidates last month, which placed her on the board for another term.
“As a board, we’ve had a term to get to know each other, and I’m sure we can build on that in our next term. I remain committed to civility and congeniality while promoting transparency, good governance, public engagement and open discourse,” Stone McGuigan said. “I will say what needs to be said, and work to make sure our community is heard and every perspective represented. I will uphold the inclusive and forward-thinking values of this community. It is an honor and privilege to continue to serve as a selectperson.”
Stone McGuigan thanked the community for voting last month.
“The success of American democracy is the ability of our citizens to let their leaders know how well they’re being served through regular elections,” she added. “No society will agree on everything, but it’s a testament to our governing principles that candidates can debate a wide range of issues then accept the will of the electorate and come back together to serve the public good.”
State Sen. Ryan Fazio (R-36) served as the emcee of Friday’s ceremony and noted that the voter turnout in this year’s odd-numbered municipal election was 51 percent, compared to 33 percent statewide.
“Whether you grew up in this town, or moved here just recently, you should be very proud of the community you live in. Greenwich is a special place because we have good people and an engaged community, and those qualities are also clearly manifested in our leadership including First Selectman Fred Camillo, Selectwoman Lauren Rabin and Selectperson Janet Stone McGuigan,” Fazio said.
Friday’s ceremony also included a presentation of the colors and a performance of the National Anthem by Ruby Durant.
You can view Friday’s ceremony in full here.
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