City Council gets new leader.

New London — Don Venditto replaced Anthony Nolan as City Council president on Monday during the council’s yearly leadership vote.

Venditto received unanimous support from fellow councilors. The council elected John Satti to replace Venditto as council president pro tempore. He will serve as president and run meetings during Venditto’s absence.

Venditto and Satti, both Democrats, are serving their second terms on the seven-member council. Venditto is an employee of Sonalysts Inc. in Waterford, where he is a vice president and corporate officer. Satti is a retired state probation officer who runs his own lawncare business.

Looking to the upcoming year, Venditto said he expects new opportunities for economic development, both residential and commercial, and with it the potential for increased revenue for the city.

“Once again, there will be challenges,” Venditto said. “The state is certainly not free and clear of its fiscal problems. The question remains how much of those state level problems will be forced down to the 169 cities and towns for their municipal governments to deal with.”

Venditto said the city will continue its quest to find ways to free itself from dependence on state revenues.

He thanked his family for patience while he spent time on council business and Nolan for his two years of work as president after taking over leadership during some infighting among councilors two years ago. Nolan had followed former Councilor Erica Richardson as president.

Nolan “brought a sense of unity to the council, helped us move in the right direction,” Venditto said. “Your commitment to the community at large ... especially the youth of New London, is commendable. I’m sure the investment of time that you put in with them is having a positive effect on them. Keep up the good work.”

Venditto called Nolan honest, hardworking, a role model for city youth and someone who always looks to give back to the community.

“New London could use a whole lot more Anthony Nolans,” Venditto said.

Satti, who is chairman of both the Parks and Recreation and Education Committee and the School Building and Maintenance Committee, said he planned to continue his term with a focus on recreational and education issues.

The upcoming four years will be exciting ones, he said, with construction starting on new school campuses that represent a $150 million investment by the city. Satti, a father of four, said the most important issue for him is the future of the city’s children.