Thank you for your kind welcome, and please, let me say to all here today, and throughout

the City of Derby, that I look forward to working tirelessly on your behalf for a better community. Before I begin my brief prepared remarks, may I please ask that we stand in a moment of silence to remember all those wonderful Americans who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor on this day in 1941 and for all our servicemen and servicewomen, past and present, wherever they may be may God bless them. (Pause for a moment of silence.) I would like to thank my predecessor, Tony Staffieri, for his service to Derby, and our nation, and I wish him the very best in his future endeavors. Today marks a new beginning for Derby. As this administration begins its work, I want to reaffirm our commitment to integrity, transparency, and a determined focus to rebuild our local economy through smart planning, smart growth, and smart economic development. The heavy industrial city that existed when my hard-working parents emigrated here from Italy is long gone and is not coming back. Instead, we must look for a new direction that bases our future local economic growth on Derbys access to highways and rail, its location near major hospital and health care research facilities, and its skilled work force. By inviting the talents of our citizens, recruiting the ideas and research of experts around the nation, and by working tirelessly across party lines for success, we can create a brighter future for our city. We must turn our attention away from big box development and towards the value of small-business entrepreneurship. We must inventory our economic assets our history dating back to colonial days, our proximity to major highways, our underdeveloped train station, our proximity to Yale and other large institutions of research and learning, our skilled workforce, and our historic and economic connection to our riverfront. Then, we must look carefully at what has and has not worked in other communities of similar backgrounds and get to work on the smart approach to rebuilding our local economy.

Derby needs to embrace emerging trends in healthcare and green technologies centered on a vibrant downtown containing a diversity of small businesses and a reconnection to our historic riverfront. We must work closely with our school system so that young Derby students are prepared to be active and productive members of a smart and sophisticated 21st century workforce. We will institute the creation of an official City of Derby municipal website where citizens, business people, and investors can research information and efficiently carry out their business with the city. Transparency will replace confusion and sunshine will overcome darkness when it comes to matters of government. We must vigorously undertake an anti-blight program that removes eyesores and hazards from our city and encourages the renewal and revitalization of our neighborhoods. Derbys strength is in its people. They must be protected and encouraged to flourish. The serious battle against blight begins now. The commitment to renew and protect our city must prevail in all of our city departments, boards, and commissions. Department heads that will be appointed will be held accountable on a regular basis for performance and progress. Honest budgeting and the fair and efficient collection of our local taxes will be expected. We will seek efficiencies through the use of good business practices. I will put my small-business experience to work on behalf of all of our taxpayers. We will use the increased revenues from a new vibrant and growing local economy and savings from regional cooperation to enhance neighborhood police patrols and protection, to invest in educational innovations for our children, and to improve our parks and neighborhoods while stabilizing property taxes for our residents and local businesses. We will conduct regular little town halls in our neighborhoods to listen to people in the comfortable setting of a library or a firehouse or a school. Good ideas and sincere efforts to help create a better future will find a welcome embrace regardless of party or political view. There is too much at stake for us to continue partisan and petty political games.

Derby needs serious leadership that works together for the common good. I sincerely invite everyone to work together across party lines for the larger good of improving Derbys future. The great American President Franklin Roosevelt was faced with the responsibility of dealing with the onset of a great world war on this day in 1941. He never faltered never wavered never let down his fellow Americans or the brave warriors he sent into battle. For he was guided by a strong thought summarized in his own words: We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon. Roosevelt was dealing with large issues facing a great nation in a different time. Yet, many years later in our own small community I reaffirm Roosevelts words for we too hold to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon for Derby and its people. Thank you very much.