Big change in city council leadership? Hartford reshuffling and the resolution is in.
Hartford is likely to get entirely new leadership with a new mayor at city hall and a new city council president likely to be appointed Monday.
Councilwoman Shirley Surgeon, who was first appointed to the council in 2020, is likely to assume the role of council president on Monday. A resolution, introduced by newly elected councilwoman Kelly Bilodeau, seeks to appoint Surgeon to the leadership role for the next two years.
“I and the people of Hartford owe Maly Rosado our deepest gratitude for a job well done as Council President these past four years, “ Surgeon said. “ I look forward to working with Maly and the entire Council in continuing our work for the people of Hartford.”
The move comes after the two-term councilwoman secured the most votes in last year’s municipal election. Surgeon received 4,463 votes compared to current Council President Maly Rosado’s 4,277 votes, according to data from the Secretary of the State’s Office.
“Councilwoman Surgeon has the knowledge and understanding of how the city council can effectively function,” Bilodeau said. “With her expertise, I believe she can lead the council so that we can work together to best serve the city and the community.”
Surgeon has served as a city council aide, as a registrar of voters and as an assistant to then-Gov. Dannel Malloy before being elected to the council. She currently serves on the board of the Upper Albany Neighborhood Revitalization Zone and is an election officer in the Secretary of State’s Office.
“She has the majority support and I foresee her being the next council president,” councilman Thomas “TJ” Clarke III said. “She is a longtime serving Democrat and she had the highest votes this past election. She hasn’t had a council leadership position and she now stands in the prime position to lead the council for the next term.”
While not in the city’s charter, Clarke said that usually the highest vote-getter is offered a leadership role of their choice. Surgeon, who placed second in the vote tally in 2020, declined any leadership position at the time.
“This time around she expressed interest in the role,” Clarke said. “With the vote count, she was in a prime position to receive the leadership role.”
Rosado, who has led the council since 2020, will serve her third term after filling a vacancy left by State Rep. Julio Concepcion in 2018. Rosado grew up in Puerto Rico, but has been a resident of Hartford for the last 30 years and is an employee of the city’s Housing Authority.
“I have served on city council since 2018 and though I’ve accomplished a lot over the past few years, there is more work to be done. Our seniors need access to more resources, individuals experiencing homelessness need more support services, our youth need more programming, and the incredible organizations that support Hartford need additional tools to sustain their progress. This city is my home and I remain committed to seeing us all prosper,” Rosado previously told the Courant.
According to city charter, all council members will be sworn in to begin their two-year terms at the council’s organizational meeting on Jan. 8. Mayor Arunan Arulampalam will lead the swearing in and council members will officially decide new leadership roles.
Surgeon could not be reached for comment.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com
