Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

New governor looks for new routine in Hartford — and Greenwich

  • Politics
  • by Mark Pazniokas
  • January 10, 2019
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

Gov. Ned Lamont and his wife, Annie, acknowledge supporters Wednesday

In a conference room across the hall from his still-undecorated State Capitol office suite, Gov. Ned Lamont and his senior staff worked Thursday afternoon on setting the rhythm and cadence of a new administration — and the man who leads it.

Wednesday nights will be kept open, time set aside for the new governor to network with legislators and others at the Executive Residence in Hartford, beginning next week. He hopes to split his weekends, some in Greenwich and others in Hartford. His scheduler took note.

He is early to bed and early to rise. A surprise, perhaps, to anyone treated Thursday to a video of his dancing the previous night to the Wild Cherry classic, “Play That Funky Music.” It was posted on Twitter by his legislative director, Chris Soto.

At 65 years-old and after more than three decades of marriage, Lamont is intent on spending as much time as possible with his wife, Annie, a venture capitalist with a firm in Greenwich. The couple expect to divide their time between Hartford and Greenwich. Again, the scheduler took note.

And so it went on the first full day of the Lamont administration. It began with a brunch at the Residence with his wife, their three children and the out-of-town relatives and friends who attended his Inaugural Ball.

“They are leaning into this thing,” said Ryan Drajewicz, his chief of staff. “They are staying at the Residence through the weekend and will explore the town, if you will, as a family.”

The senior staff gathered at 2 p.m. with the governor. They reviewed potential legislation, the likely schedule for rolling out a budget, the mechanics of a governor splitting time between two homes, and his preferences for how to work.

“The governor-elect, uh, the governor likes the creative white space,” Drajewicz said. Creative white space is brainstorming and time for Lamont to pose questions.

Drajewicz smiled at his own reference to Lamont as the governor-elect, one of many adjustments being made Thursday.

Lamont’s senior adviser, Colleen Flanagan Johnson, and his chief operating officer, Paul Mounds, will share an office directly across the hall from the governor’s suite. On Thursday, there was no desk for Mounds. A worn conference table was pushed towards the door, bound for destinations unknown.

But the phones worked. Lamont’s staff says the administration of his predecessor, Dannel P. Malloy, prepared a comprehensive transition plan.

Mounds updated the governor and staff on the status of hiring new commissioners. Of the 28 state agencies, Lamont has hired eight new department heads and retained 10 from the Malloy administration. There are ten others whose leadership is undecided.

In his initial speech to the legislature, Lamont emphasized economic development as the key to Connecticut’s fiscal ills. He promised three things: Growth! Growth! Growth!

Lamont’s staff has been working on an overhaul of the Department of Economic and Community Development, and the governor hopes to outline the new approach and introduce the person who will lead it in the next week or two, Drajewicz said.

The goal is to standardize the approach taken by the state last year, with Lamont’s involvement as a volunteer, that convinced Infosys to open a technology hub in downtown Hartford. Business and academic leaders were enlisted in the recruitment.

Lowell P. Weicker, M. Jodi Rell tried to spend time away from Hartford. Dannel P. Malloy sold his home when elected. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, Pool)

One of Lamont’s friends, Indra Nooyi, the former chief executive of PepsiCo, introduced him to a top executive of Infosys. During his State of the State speech on Wednesday, Nooyi sat on a bench in the well of the House with Ray Dalio, the founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, and John Olsen, the former president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO.

“If you look at who was sitting there yesterday, these are people who could be anywhere,” Drajewicz said.

Lamont is a networker. He has few relationship with legislators, but his approach with them and business leaders will be personal. Hence, the reservation of Wednesday nights for networking.

“It’s critically important to him,” Drajewicz said.

The question of dividing time between private and public homes was an issue for Lowell P. Weicker Jr., who initially insisted he would stay many nights at Apple Jack Farm, his home in Greenwich. M. Jodi Rell set many Fridays aside as “reading days” at her antique farmhouse in Brookfield. Malloy sold his Stamford home after his election.

Ultimately, Weicker and Rell spent more time in Hartford than they originally anticipated. At least to begin, Lamont will try to schedule meetings on Fridays in Fairfield County.

Flanagan Johnson said Lamont’s scheduler will consult with Annie Lamont’s office, seeing when their jobs can place them in the same locale. Lamont will aim for a Monday-Thursday schedule in Hartford, or at least no later than midday Friday, every other week. They will try to build a schedule on his Greenwich weekends that start the week with meetings down state or on the way to Hartford.

Flanagan Johnson said he hopes to spend time downstate meeting with business leaders — and lawmakers. He has invited new legislators to the Executive Residence next week, but he already has begun his outreach.

The national anthem at his inaugural ball was played by Sen. George Logan, a Republican. He is a guitarist who ably covers Jimi Hendrix solos, including the late rocker’s memorable electric version of the Star Spangled Banner.

Lamont heard Logan play it at a charity gala in October in Oxford. Logan said Lamont told him, “When I win in November, I’ll want you to play it at my inaugural ball.”

Logan, who supported Republican Bob Stefanowski for governor, laughed at the time, not quite taking him seriously. But Lamont called his cell phone after winning, leaving him a voice-mail inviting him to kick off the ball.

“I thought it was a good gesture,” Logan said.

So, Logan performed.

And Lamont’s first words at his inaugural were directed at a Republican: “Sen. Logan, I knew Jimi Hendrix. Jimi Hendrix was a friend of mine. And senator, you’re a kick-ass Jimi Hendrix.”

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Pazniokas is the Capitol Bureau Chief and a co-founder of CT Mirror. He is a frequent contributor to WNPR, a former state politics writer for The Hartford Courant and Journal Inquirer, and contributor for The New York Times.

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
Connecticut House joins national civil rights campaign over Black hair styles
by Mark Pazniokas

The Connecticut House voted for a bill intended to protect Black women from discrimination over their hair.

CT legislature poised to make early budget pledge to help cities and towns
by Keith M. Phaneuf

The state House is expected to approve more than $100 million in new, annual PILOT grants to municipalities.

Connecticut GOP picks Susan Hatfield as state chair
by Mark Pazniokas

Susan Hatfield, vice chair of the Connecticut Republican Party, will complete the term of the former chair, J.R. Romano.

Senator alleges voter fraud, but no complaint was filed
by Mark Pazniokas

Rob Sampson said a voter in his district was told an absentee ballot already had been cast in her name.

Boston Fed chief predicts strong economic recovery begins in 2nd half of 2021 if vaccine reaches enough people
by Keith M. Phaneuf

A strong economic rebound also depends on states helping those hit hardest by COVID-19, a federal reserve official said.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion The historical basis of zoning begs for reform
by Lawrence Rizzolo

Discussions of race are fraught with emotion. Witness the zoning reforms being discussed in our legislature. I will attempt to advance a dispassionate argument that is based on government-sponsored racism that occurred during my lifetime and led to the structural problems that persist today.

Opinion Lamont must stop waffling on the Killingly power plant issue
by Tennyson Benedict

On January 19, Gov. Ned Lamont gave his bluntest comments yet regarding the controversial Killingly natural gas plant, saying, “I don’t want to build Killingly.”  Yet, Lamont still refuses to wield his executive authority to actually stop its construction, and instead offers vague suggestions that market forces will stop the plant’s construction.

Opinion Religious freedom is less than righteousness
by Spencer Hill

The CT Viewpoints opinion “Religious freedom is more than religion” shows just how entrenched is the sincerely held belief that one man’s notion of “freedom” dictates the liberty of others.

Opinion To boost economy, state should invest in the ‘last mile’ of broadband connectivity
by Thomas J. Peters, Ph.D

In his budget address on February 10,   Gov. Ned Lamont announced his intent to expand broadband connectivity in Connecticut, an effort to be lauded. Connecticut enjoys a significant competitive advantage for economic development in the Connecticut Education Network (CEN), “ a 2,500 route mile, all optical, high-performance internet network.”

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO