Council’s short-term solution
Former Conn College administrator to serve NL for three months
New London — Retired Connecticut College administrator and longtime political and community activist Tracee Reiser will spend the next three months as a city councilor.
The council voted unanimously earlier this month to appoint Reiser to fill the vacancy left by the departure of Erica Richardson, who planned to move to Florida. Reiser will serve alongside fellow Democrats until December after a new council is chosen at the municipal election in November.
Reiser is not running for a council seat and said it took just a bit of arm-twisting to get her to agree to accept the offer.
“It’s not something I had been looking forward to doing,” Reiser said. “I choose other means of contributing to the community rather than political office. I said I would consider it because it was a temporary appointment.”
Fellow Democrats say Reiser is thoughtful, has had a ubiquitous influence on past local Democratic political campaigns and remains involved in city affairs while managing to stay mostly behind the scenes.
City Republicans had lobbied for the appointment of council candidate and Republican Martin Olsen, who was unseated in the last election by three votes. The appointment of a Republican to an all-Democratic council did not appear to be seriously considered.
Reiser’s agreement to join the council was widely praised by Democrats.
“There are very few people that are as connected and know the issues and challenges in New London as well as Tracee Reiser. She certainly deserves the honor of serving,” said Mayor Michael Passero.
Councilor John Satti said Reiser will “bring a breath of fresh air to the council.”
“She already knows the community and can make thoughtful decisions about whatever comes up. I think it’s an excellent choice,” said councilor Martha Marx.
Reiser retired in June after 25 years at Connecticut College where she was the senior associate dean and director of community partnerships and associate director of the Holleran Center for Community Action and Public Policy.
She is a member of the city’s Police Community Relations Committee, past president of the Rotary Club of New London, former treasurer of the Women’s Center of Southeastern CT and former co-chairwoman of the Southeastern Connecticut Task Force on Racial Ethnic Balance in Schools – the group that created New London’s Regional Multicultural Magnet School. In 2008, she was the first staff recipient of the college’s Dr. Martin Luther King Service Award.
She is also on the Ledge Light Health District board and involved with the Thames River Innovation Places initiative, among other things.
“I’m just very active and supportive of the community,” Reiser said. “I’m familiar with the issues, familiar with the challenges and the people involved. I’ve been engaged with them.”
During her first meeting, Reiser is likely to join the discussion about the next move for a petition submitted by citizens that calls for a reduced budget or a citywide vote at referendum. The council has waited to address the petition because of the lack of a state budget but faces a September deadline to submit language to the state for a referendum question.
“It’s a very complicated and very challenging time right now,” Reiser said. “There are budgetary concerns on the national, state and local level. We are not unique here. That’s why I think it’s important to assess all information and think for the long term. I am a homeowner in the city and taxes are a concern for our family. Education is also a big concern. I am a deep and long supporter of education and of adequate police and fire services.”