Mayor Tom DeVivo talks footbridge, education, and Eastern as he runs for a fourth term

Mathew Biadun | News Editor

Tom DeVivo has been the mayor of Windham since 2019, and is hoping for a fourth term following this year’s election. Windham operates on a town-manager system, meaning that the powers of the chief executive lie in a town manager hired by the City Council. The mayor receives no pay, but does have actual powers, such as a seat on the Town Council. The Campus Lantern sat down with him on Monday to discuss the issues.

Q: You’ve been the mayor since 2019: what do you think has been your greatest achievement since then?

A: Getting approval for and building the Senior Center, the land for which had been “sitting there for ages.”

The Windham Senior Center broke ground in 2020 and officially opened in May, 2022.

Q: Why do you need a fourth term?

A: Mayor Devivo specifically brought up his experience, citing his contacts with state and federal officials and his ability to bring in outside money. He says he enjoys the job, and now being retired, can give it his full attention. “There’s more to do, other projects,” he said. “Winners never quit.”

Q: Do you approve of the new town manager, Robert Zarnetske?

A: “We have different…baskets,” he said, explaining how both men had different authorities, but that they don’t clash and get along well. Mayor DeVivo said that Zarnetske was competent and capable, and fitting in more and more. “He’s getting comfortable.”

Robert Zarnetske was a student at Eastern Connecticut State University, enrolled as an Honors student and graduating with his Bachelors in 1987.

Q: Do you approve of the current General Government budget and Board of Education budget being considered?

A: “I wish it were more, but I fully understand this is all we can afford.” Mayor DeVivo mentioned budget cuts in recent years, resulting in the cutting of school clubs and staff. However, he asserts that local education is still a funding priority to him. “We did not cut back on educational opportunities.” 

Q: What are your plans to grow the grand list?

A: Mayor DeVivo said that growing the grand list had been talked about for decades. He pointed to vacant ‘dead’ properties, which should be revived and put into new hands, which would bring it back onto the tax roll. “We’re not going to get an Amazon here,” he said, and ultimately admitted that the grand list likely wouldn’t see significant growth anytime soon.

Q: What do you think of the ongoing school consolidation plan?

A: “It’s an excellent plan,” the mayor said. The town had four elementary schools before, but closed one down. He says another could be closed as well, as renovating an old school could be pricier than a new school entirely, which would also help attract “the best of the best” in new staff. “Some people say we’re going to have…fifty person classes, but I doubt that.” He points to the significant cost savings in the plan, and that it was supported by the Town Council and Board of Education, as well as the Green, Bottom Line and Democratic Parties. “Now it’s up to the voters.”

The Town Council had approved a referendum question earlier this year, which will bring the $144,865,123 plan to the voters.

Q: What should be done with the footbridge?

A: “I don’t think we will get a bridge that looks exactly the same,” he sighed. A historic renovation, he estimates, would cost $5-6 million. He prefers a plan to get a new footbridge entirely, with improvements such as better lighting. The footbridge has been in discussion for five years, when it was found to be deteriorating rapidly. Inspections used to occur every five years, but were later changed to be annual, and now occur twice a year. Mayor DeVivo took a swipe at his opponent, mentioning a lack of federal interest in funding a renovation project. “I know my opponent wants money from Donald Trump: won’t happen.” He says there are more public meetings and bureaucratic work that needs to occur before a decision is made.

The Willimantic footbridge was closed in July. It was first opened to the public in 1906.

Q: What do you think of your opponent, Hailey Desaulniers?

A: The Mayor shrugged. “She’s a citizen just like me; I don’t know much about her, I think I’ve only met her once.”

Q: Do you think nineteen is too young to be mayor?

A: “No,” he responded, after some thought, and mentioned that being mayor was an unpaid position with significant time commitment. “I believe I am the better candidate,” he concluded, pointing to his long experience, not only as elected mayor since 2019, but in the time he served as acting mayor previously, which he said had been very difficult to balance with his job. He has since retired.

Hailey Desaulniers, nineteen, reached state headlines when she announced her bid for the mayoralty. The youngest mayor ever elected in the state is Ryan Bingham, who was elected Mayor of Torrington in 2005 at the age of twenty-two. 

Q: What are Windham’s biggest problems, and how will you work to solve them?

A: The mayor brought up three key problems facing Windham:

The first is the cost-of-living, which he addressed as a nationwide problem. “The gap between the really poor and the really rich is getting wider in all of America,” he said, mentioning that high taxes did hurt many and that there had to be a balance between money available and public wants. 

The second was the need for responsible government. “We could borrow seven million dollars for the footbridge, but it’s a bad idea.” He says he likes to hear from constituents, but that the local government has to be responsible with what it can do. 

The third was properly funding education. Mayor DeVivo cited the need for an educated population, saying that when he was growing up, “...we were taught that going to college was what you had to do if you don’t want to work Saturdays.” He spoke positively of Eastern, saying that the campus “...beats UConn every day…”.

While addressing the question, the mayor also pushed back. “I’m proud to be a…Windhamite and…Willimanticer…we have challenges, not problems.” 

Early voting will run in Connecticut from October 20th to November 2nd. Election day is scheduled for November 4th, when polls will be open from 6AM to 8PM.