Fifth Inaugural Address

Domenic J. Sarno
Symphony Hall
Springfield, Massachusetts
January 6, 2020

Bishop Rozanski, Rabbi Kosofsky, Iman Abdel Baki, Pastor Serrano, Rev. McFadden, District

Attorney Gulluni, Sheriff Cocchi, distinguished members of the Springfield City Council and

School Committee, other elected and appointed officials and fellow citizens of our great city:

It is my high honor to once again take the oath of office as Mayor of the City of Springfield.

This morning’s ceremonies are a truly historic occasion. This is the fifth time that I have taken

this oath. As of today, I am the longest serving of the fifty-three mayors in Springfield’s 384

year history.

I assure you that when I was first inaugurated way back in 2008, I never imagined that I would

achieve this milestone.

The significance of my long tenure in office is certainly not lost on me. I am enormously proud

to have been accorded this privilege. I greatly appreciate the confidence that the citizens of

Springfield have shown in my leadership over the years. Thank you all so very much!

This morning, I pledge my very best efforts to continue to be an effective steward of the trust

that has been place in me.

As I reflect back on my years as your Mayor, I take great pride in what we have accomplished

together. Several major success stories stand out in mind:

 We have fully recovered from the worst fiscal crisis in our history. We now have $49

million in reserves and our highest bond rating ever.

 We have made substantial gains in the quality of public education. The improvement in

our graduation and dropout rates are the best in the Commonwealth.

 We have achieved an impressive reduction in overall crime of 45%. We will soon

implement a body worn camera program.

 And, we now have our first African-American Deputy Chief of Police.

 We have leveraged over $4.7 billion in economic development opportunities, creating

five thousand new jobs. Major projects include the new MGM casino, the CRRC

manufacturing plant and a revitalized Union Station, to name just a few.

I could cite many other significant achievements, but this is not the time for a long laundry list.

Notice that I didn’t even mention a tornado…

Major accomplishments such as these require extensive collaboration among many stakeholders.
I appreciate the strong support of the City Council, the School Committee and our state

legislative delegation.

Our department heads, city employees, and members of boards and commissions are a dedicated

and hard-working group of public servants. They have performed their duties with distinction –

year in and year out. Our neighborhood councils are both passionate and effective. My own

staff has done a great job, particularly with constituent services.

Profuse thanks to all for your service to Springfield.

Two long-serving members of the City Council are not with us on this dais this morning. Ken

Shea has retired from elective office after many years and E. Henry Twiggs has gone on to his

eternal reward. Please join me in acknowledging their invaluable contributions to our civic life.

One of Springfield’s most effective champions continues to be Congressman Neal.

As a former mayor, he is intimately familiar with the ever changing needs of our city. He has

been a truly great ally and I deeply value his friendship. As we know, he is playing an

increasingly important leadership role in Washington, DC. And, yet he is still- just a phone call

away.
Whether the issue at hand is redeveloping Union Station, protecting the viability of CRRC or

negotiating a new trade agreement to replace NAFTA, Congressman Neal is always advancing

Springfield’s interest in our nation’s capital. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the highly effective partnership we have forged with

Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito. Time and again, they have been there when

Springfield needed them.

This partnership has led to over $600 million in school construction and renovation projects, the

largest such initiative in the Commonwealth. The stat has also funded opioid, housing, parks,

public works, libraries, and disaster recovery projects and programs. The state’s participation in

these efforts is absolutely indispensable. Thank you Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito.

I would also like to recognize and thank District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and Sheriff Nick

Cocchi for their efforts and the resources they have provided to assists us with our war on crime I

truly appreciate their ongoing commitment. Public safety will always be my number one

priority. How about a hearty rough of applause for DA Anthony Gulluni and Sheriff Nick

Cocchi.

Let me give all of you a heads-up… As I begin my thirteenth year as your Mayor, don’t expect to

see any letup in my fierce drive for improvement in every dimension of our civic life.
I may be starting to show just a little bit of gray hair, but my love for this City and my love for

this job burns brighter than ever before.

That great American Benjamin Franklin once said “Energy and persistence conquer all things.”

Let Franklin’s motto be our inspiration…

I pride myself on the energy I bring to my job every single day. And I am doggedly persistent in

the pursuit of our common goals. If you have any doubt, just ask our department heads or my

staff.

Working together over the years, we have built a solid foundation for Springfield’s future. But,

this is certainly not the time to rest on our laurels. There is always more work to be done. And,

we must maintain our steady forward momentum. At this point in our history, we must take our

game to the next level.

In fact, it is imperative that we take advantage of ever-single opportunity that presents itself.

There will be challenges to be sure… We must always be equal to the task at hand, whatever

obstacles we might encounter.

Our over-arching priorities will be familiar: education, public safety, economic development,

financial stability, the delivery of municipal services and improvements to the quality of life.
And let us remember… We are a city of some 155,000 people. It is our responsibility to be

certain that ALL of our citizens share equitably in our progress.

I am convinced that the diversity of our city is one of our greatest strengths. Let us not forget

that our neighborhoods are the backbone of our city. We will continue to keep their needs front

and center on the agenda.

This morning, I challenge every Springfield citizen – including: students and trades people,

public employees and businesspersons, professionals and retirees, and all others – to step-up

your own personal contribution to the well-being of our city. I ask all of you to find a way to

pitch-in with your time and talent – in ways that reflect your own interests and skill.

Springfield is a city on the move. If we all step up together in the collaborative pursuit of our

municipal priorities, we will secure a great destiny for this city. Working with all of you, I look

forward to fulfilling this challenge.

We are honored to have with us this morning a group of JR. R.O.T.C. Air Force Cadets from

Central high school. Let me ask these students to stand to be recognized. Come on… Don’t be

shy… Please stand.

Please join me in an enthusiastic round of applause for these young people. We look forward to

the exciting contributions they will make to our city over the years ahead.
On a personal note, let me pay a special tribute to my beloved parents, my mother Clara passed

away in 2018. My father Alfonso is celebrating his eighty-fourth birthday on this very day.

Unfortunately, he is unable to be with us today, as he continues his courageous battle against

cancer. Happy and healthy birthday Dad!

The United States is a nation of immigrants.

My parents bet their future on America when they courageously set sail from Italy many years

ago. Working tirelessly as a seamstress and a barber, they raised three children in Springfield. It

is a reflection of the great American dream that one of their children grew up to be Mayor of

their new home city.

My parents always said they were proud of me. But the reverse is also true. I say from my heart

that I am o very, very proud of them. And I am profoundly grateful for their boundless love and

support.

Let me also thank my beautiful wife Carla and my cherished daughters Cassandra and Chiara for

their unwavering support. Having a Mayor in the house isn’t easy by any means. After all, it’s a

24/7 job. Just to keep me humble, you’ve made it abundantly clear that I’m not the Mayor of

109 Carroll Street.

In closing, I look forward with great enthusiasm for the next four years. There will be both

challenges and surprises. I have every confidence that, continuing to work together, we will

secure a bright and vibrant future for our community.

May God Bless the City of Springfield!

Thank you very much and have a great day!