Submitted by Kevin Maloney, CCM
(December 12, 2022) —Since the 2022 Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) statewide convention in early November, 92 municipal leaders from nearly 60 towns and cities across the State have signed on to CCM’s newly established Civility Pledge, vowing to do their part to help foster respectful, civil engagement in their community and throughout Connecticut.
The CCM Civility Pledge states: “I pledge to build a stronger and more prosperous community by advocating for civil engagement, respecting others and their viewpoints and finding solutions for betterment of my community.”
“CCM has a commitment to fostering a climate of open discussion and debate, mutual respect, and tolerance among all who live in, work in, and visit our community,” said Joe DeLong, CCM Executive Director and CEO. “We believe all interactions in CCM’s 168 member communities should be civil despite any differences of opinion on a particular issue. And we believe in finding common ground and engaging in civil discussion about community issues important to each of us,” noted DeLong. “We vow to respect all points of view and will strive to provide a reasonable opportunity for all to express their views openly—without attacks and antagonization.”
This follows action from last March, when CCM teamed up with the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) to present a webinar entitled “Let’s Keep it Civil: How to Lead Public Meetings in Contentious Times.” The webinar generated a great deal of interest, with many municipal and school board leaders from across the state attending. CCM and CABE drew on the thoughtful work of some national experts as well as the experience of some of our respected local leaders in Connecticut for this presentation.
Here are leaders who have signed the CCM Civility Pledge:
|
Jeffrey |
Caggiano |
City of Bristol |
Mayor |
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Luke |
Bronin |
City of Hartford |
Mayor |
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|
Constance |
Reik |
City of Hartford |
Controller |
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Josephine |
Agnello-Veley |
City of Meriden |
Director of Human Resources |
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Alice |
Diaz |
City of Middletown |
Chief of Staff |
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Bobbye |
Peterson |
City of Middletown |
Chief of Staff |
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|
Adriane |
Jefferson |
City of New Haven |
Director of Cultural Affairs |
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Robert |
Castronova |
City of Norwich |
Purchasing Agent/Risk & Insurance Administrator |
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Orla |
McKiernan |
City of Norwich |
Deputy Comptroller |
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Joshua |
Pothier |
City of Norwich |
Comptroller |
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Carol |
Anderson |
City of Torrington |
City & Town Clerk |
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Nicholle |
West |
City of Waterbury |
HR Generalist |
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Roberta |
Dougherty |
Town of Andover |
Agent for the Elderly / Assistant Assessor |
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Carol |
Lee |
Town of Andover |
Town Clerk |
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Donald |
Stein |
Town of Barkhamsted |
First Selectman |
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|
Paula |
Carabetta |
Town of Berlin |
Human Resources Director |
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Arosha |
Jayawickrema |
Town of Berlin |
Town Manager |
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|
Paula |
Usher |
Town of Bethel |
Tax Collector |
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Rosa |
Matias |
Town of Bloomfield |
Director of Human Resources |
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|
Kathy |
Roberts |
Town of Bloomfield |
Human Resources Generalist |
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|
India |
Rogers |
Town of Bloomfield |
Director of Strategic Communications and Government Affairs |
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Elizabeth |
Thornton |
Town of Bolton |
Library Director |
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Cheryl |
Pinkos |
Town of Bridgewater |
Town Clerk |
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Nicole |
Tenreiro |
Town of Bridgewater |
Assistant Town Clerk |
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Tara |
Carr |
Town of Brookfield |
First Selectman |
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Matt |
Grimes |
Town of Brookfield |
Justice of the Peace |
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David |
Barger |
Town of Canaan |
Selectman |
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Amanda |
Backhaus |
Town of Coventry |
Finance Director |
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John |
Elsesser |
Town of Coventry |
Town Manager |
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Lisa |
Thomas |
Town of Coventry |
Chairwoman, Town Council |
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Carol |
Jones |
Town of Deep River |
Director, Parks & Recreation |
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Irene |
Haines |
Town of East Haddam |
First Selectman |
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Michelle |
Benivegna |
Town of East Haven |
Human Resources, Asst. Director of Admin & Mgmt |
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|
Joseph |
Carfora |
Town of East Haven |
Mayor |
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Matt |
Marcarelli |
Town of East Haven |
Fire Chief |
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Jason |
Bowsza |
Town of East Windsor |
First Selectman |
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Patricia |
Kratochvil |
Town of East Windsor |
Tax Collector |
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Amy |
O’Toole |
Town of East Windsor |
Finance Director/Treasurer |
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Steven |
Bielenda |
Town of Enfield |
Director, Human Resources |
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Fred |
DeCaro |
Town of Greenwich |
Registrar of Voters – R |
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Paige |
Bronk |
Town of Groton |
Economic and Community Development Manager |
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Kevin |
Fitzgerald |
Town of Groton (T) |
ARPA Coordinator |
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Mitchell |
Goldblatt |
Town of Guilford |
Human Resources Director |
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|
Matt |
Hoey |
Town of Guilford |
First Selectman |
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Maryjane |
Malavasi |
Town of Guilford |
Finance Director |
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Robert |
McGarry |
Town of Haddam |
First Selectman |
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Jean |
Speck |
Town of Kent |
First Selectman |
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Michele |
Nuhn |
Town of Killingworth |
Tax Collector |
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Fred B. |
Allyn III |
Town of Ledyard |
Mayor |
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Denise |
Raap |
Town of Litchfield |
First Selectman |
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Carlita |
Cotton |
Town of Mansfield |
Member, Town Council |
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Deborah |
Bourbeau |
Town of Marlborough |
Acting Chair, Board of Selectmen |
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Betty |
O’Brien |
Town of Marlborough |
Selectman |
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Amy |
Traversa |
Town of Marlborough |
Interim Town Manager |
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Carol |
Bufithis |
Town of Middlefield |
Selectwoman |
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Kenneth |
Kellogg |
Town of Monroe |
First Selectman |
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Rob |
Sibley |
Town of Newtown |
Deputy Director of Planning & Land Use |
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Michael |
Downes |
Town of North Branford |
Town Manager |
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Ellsworth |
Chase |
Town of Pomfret |
Selectman |
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Patrick |
McCarthy |
Town of Pomfret |
Selectman |
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Maureen |
Nicholson |
Town of Pomfret |
First Selectman |
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Bonnie |
Ryan |
Town of Pomfret |
Administrative Assistant |
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Patricia |
Moisio |
Town of Redding |
Tax Collector |
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Christine |
Quigley |
Town of Redding |
Assistant Tax Collector |
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Kim |
Baron |
Town of Roxbury |
Treasurer & Finance Director |
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Wendy |
Mackstutis |
Town of Simsbury |
First Selectman |
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Timothy |
Keeney |
Town of Somers |
First Selectman |
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Kevin |
Bielmeier |
Town of Southbury |
Economic Development Director |
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Cheryl |
Blanchard |
Town of Sprague |
First Selectman |
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Lincoln |
Cooper |
Town of Sterling |
First Selectman |
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Laura |
Hoydick |
Town of Stratford |
Mayor |
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Ronald |
Ing |
Town of Stratford |
Human Resources Director |
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Raynae |
Serra |
Town of Stratford |
Director of Public Works |
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Susan |
Choquette |
Town of Voluntown |
Assistant Town Clerk |
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Tracey |
Hanson |
Town of Voluntown |
First Selectman |
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Ken |
Demirs |
Town of Watertown |
Member, Town Council |
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R.J. |
Desena |
Town of Watertown |
Member, Town Council |
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Gary |
Lafferty |
Town of Watertown |
Member, Town Council |
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|
Mark |
Raimo |
Town of Watertown |
Town Manager |
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Jonathan |
Ramsay |
Town of Watertown |
Member, Town Council |
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|
Robert |
Retallick |
Town of Watertown |
Member, Town Council |
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Mary Ann |
Rosa |
Town of Watertown |
Member, Town Council |
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Denise |
Russ |
Town of Watertown |
Member, Town Council |
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Rachael |
Ryan |
Town of Watertown |
Member, Town Council |
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|
Gregory |
Priest |
Town of West Hartford |
Fire Chief |
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Jennifer |
Tooker |
Town of Westport |
First Selectwoman |
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Michael |
Rell |
Town of Wethersfield |
Mayor |
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Gioia |
Zack |
Town of Wethersfield |
Economic Development Director |
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Erika |
Wiecenski |
Town of Willington |
First Selectman |
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Matthew |
Knickerbocker |
Town of Wilton |
Town Administrator |
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|
Nuchette |
Black-Burke |
Town of Windsor |
Member, Town Council |
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|
Tom |
Dunn |
Town of Wolcott |
Mayor |
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