Alderman resigns from board, leaving open seat
Raslan moved to Simsbury
ANSONIA — The former Democratic Town chairman who ran as their 2017 mayoral candidate and was elected to the Board of Aldermen last November has resigned because he moved to Simsbury
Tarek Raslan, who missed the last several meetings of the Board of Aldermen, submitted his resignation Wednesday night in a letter to Joshua Shuart, the board’s president.
"I had a positive working relationship with Tarek, and as president, tried to empower him and all of our board members on committees that best leveraged their individual talents. This current board has been highly productive and has worked well together,” Shuart said Thursday.
“Despite philosophical differences specifically on how to move the city forward, I am appreciative of Tarek’s perspectives and public service to Ansonia — which sometimes can be a thankless job.”
The Republican-heavy board will vote on his replacement as soon as the Oct. 13 meeting. The board now sits at 10 Republicans to 3 Democrats.
The City Charter permits any Alderman to nominate a replacement who is then voted on by the full board. The three remaining Democrats — Diane Stroman, Bill Phipps and Joseph Jeanette — would be allowed to nominate a candidate. In his letter, Raslan expressed the hope that his Second Ward seat would be filled by another Democrat.
Gary Farrar Jr., the current Ansonia Democratic Town Committee chairman, urged the Aldermen
and the Mayor to “put political biases aside” and chose a registered Democrat to fill Raslan’s seat.
“I think we have a real opportunity to set a precedent here in the City of Ansonia,” Farrar said. “Elected officials regardless of being a Democrat or Republican should be replaced by the party who had won the majority of votes for that seat. Citizens voted to have that political party hold their wards representation and they deserve to have that decision honored by the City.”
During his short time on the Board of Aldermen, Raslan was unafraid to take on the Mayor and the Republican majority. He criticized cutting the Board of Education’s budget and challenged the city’s use of one of Gov. Ned Lamont’s pandemic executive orders to approve spending an additional $3.1 million to finish the renovation of the former Farrel corporate headquarters into a new police station and senior center.
In his letter to Shuart, Raslan wrote, “While the Mayor’s son Anthony Cas
setti continued to serve as Alderman for several months after moving to Southbury and current Seventh Ward Alderman Frank DeLibero Jr. currently resides as a student in Storrs, CT, I believe that residents deserve to have an Alderman that resides in their district full time.
“Since leaving Ansonia, I have not voted on or participated in any meetings, as I believed it would be unethical to do so,” Raslan wrote. “Accordingly, I must formally submit my resignation to the Board of Alderman. To maintain a balance of representation on the board and to honor the choice of Second Ward voters in electing me, I request that a Democratic Party member fill my vacancy.”
Farrar said Raslan will be missed by the Town Committee and Second Ward residents.
He commended Raslan, a real estate investor, for “his dedication in keeping the public informed on city matters along with maintaining a system of checks and balances to uphold accountability.”
Raslan reflected on his five years in Ansonia, a
city he said he believes has “enormous potential” to re-invent its post-industrial self. He said he loved the history and the land around the city with its parks and state forests.
“Most of all, I was impressed by the people I met. Having family roots in the Midwest, the people I met in Ansonia had a familiar friendly feeling — it felt like the heartland in Connecticut, and it felt like home. I still believe in Ansonia,” Raslan said.
Raslan said he is “forever shaped by the people I’ve met, the friends I’ve made through volunteering and local government. We shared a common vision for what it means to be a good citizen and a steward of local democracy.
“In five years, I welcomed my first son to the world, ran for Mayor, served as Alderman, invested over a million dollars into the community, donated hundreds of hours of time volunteering, and donated thousands of dollars to philanthropic efforts and community park initiatives,” said Raslan. “I gave my all to the city, and the city gave me back even more, I’m truly grateful.”