“Losing the best mayor we ever had:” Danbury reacts to Boughton’s imminent departure.
Danbury reacts to Boughton’s imminent exit
As Mayor Mark Boughton prepares to leave City Hall, local official say his legacy is one of strong leadership and policies that have helped Danbury thrive.
“Danbury is losing the best mayor we’ve ever had,” said Michael Safranek, the chairman of the Republican Town Committee and administrator at Danbury Municipal Airport.
He said he is “ecstatic” for his friend, but will miss Boughton’s leadership for the city and Republican party.
Boughton will resign Thursday to become the commissioner of the Department of Revenue Services, pending the confirmation process.
For people like P. J. Prunty, who once interned with the mayor and is president and CEO of the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce, Boughton has become synonymous with Danbury.
“I can’t picture you not being mayor of Danbury,” Prunty told Boughton after he officially announced his departure during his annual State of the City address Friday. “You’ve done so much for me, so much for our entire community. We thank you for your leadership for 20 years as mayor. We wish you all the success in your new role.”
Michael McLachlan, the former longtime state senator representing Danbury, said he is proud of Boughton for his new job and his contributions to the city.
“The residents have been blessed to have his leadership,” he said. “Although all of us are sad to see him go, it’s certainly heartfelt news that he’s staying in public service.”
Andrea Gartner, chairwoman of the Democratic Town Committee, recognizes why Boughton wanted to move on.
“He’s spent so much time serving in Danbury that I can totally understand his wanting to start a new career,” she said. “With the pandemic, this has been a year of assessment for a lot of people, and he has this opportunity, and it’s good that he takes it.”
Legacy
Officials credited Boughton for Danbury’s job growth and strong economy, despite the 2008 recession.
“Probably No. 1 for me is how he guided us through the recovery and how he guided us through the financial crisis,” Safranek said. “Danbury got out pretty much unscathed.”
Boughton pointed to 10,000 ribbon-cuttings for new businesses during his tenure. He has striven to keep tax increases low, which supporters said have benefited residents and businesses, while detractors said they have hurt places like the schools.
“He was able to get through the many financial challenges of our economy, and yet still keep taxes low and deliver fine services from city government,” McLachlan said. “That’s probably the shining star.”
The soon-to-be-former mayor cited building a new police station as one of his highlights.
“The mayor has been a tremendous supporter of the police department, ensuring that we have the necessary resources to serve our community,” Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour said. “He has also been a source of support and encouragement to me personally that I will forever appreciate.”
Boughton is known for his social media presence, historically teasing students on Twitter about snow days and launching a popular “Live@5” Facebook series.
A video montage of Boughton running through city streets in a chicken suit and singing to raise money for charity that played before his State of the City address was a sign of how he has connected with residents, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a leader here in Danbury like Mayor Boughton who has kept our spirits up,” said Cynthia Merkle, chairwoman of
the board of directors for the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce and president and CEO of Union Savings Bank.
Boughton’s 20-year tenure is a sign that a Republican can serve as mayor in Danbury for a long time, Safranek said. Before Boughton, Republicans often served only one or two terms in the office, he said.
“What he leaves is a good Republican who can work across the aisle and can win and be mayor of Danbury,” Safranek said.
But Boughton’s departure is an opportunity for the Democrats, who again plan to focus the municipal campaign on the schools and downtown revitalization.
“2021 is going to bring a time of re-imagining and it’s exciting to think how we might be able to re-imagine the future of Danbury,” Gartner said.