The town hall was abuzz with the spirit of service and community as Dionna Carlson, Steve Karl, and Amy Murphy Carroll took their oaths of office, marking the beginning of their terms as First Selectman, Selectman, and Selectman, respectively, and heralding a new era for the Board of Selectmen.
Alongside them, Andrew Brooks was sworn in as the Town’s Treasurer, with the rest of the town’s elected leadership team slated to take office over the next few weeks.
Carlson gave a brief speech which follows here:
I stand before you today full of gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility as I take on the role of First Selectman. I want to express my sincere thanks to all of you who supported me during my campaign. Your belief in me and your tireless efforts have brought me to this moment, and I am humbled by your trust.
As I step into this new role, I want to emphasize that I am committed to working collaboratively with members of boards, committees, commissions, and our dedicated staff for the betterment of our entire community. Together, we will strive to address the needs and concerns of our residents, and to ensure that our town continues to thrive and prosper.
During my campaign, I spoke about the importance of restoring transparency, civility, and teamwork to the office of First Selectman. These values are not just words on a poster—they are the guiding principles that will shape my tenure. I firmly believe that an open and transparent government is essential for building trust and fostering a sense of unity within our community. Civility in our discourse and interactions will allow us to address challenges with respect and understanding, while teamwork will enable us to achieve our shared goals effectively.
I am eager to work alongside Steve and Amy, as well as all members of our local government, to accomplish these vital objectives. Together, we can create an environment where every voice is heard, where decisions are made with the best interests of our community in mind, and where collaboration and cooperation are the cornerstones of our governance.
I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as your First Selectman, and I am committed to working tirelessly to build a future for which we can all be proud.
The Sentinel’s interview on Wednesday revealed Carlson’s immediate focus to get herself organized and set up as she transitions into the role of First Selectman.
Her focus between now and the end of the year is on the budget processes. “I’m going to have to start having budget meetings with various departments between now and the end of the year, and really getting up to speed with all the different issues going on in town,” she explained.
The budget cycle, starts with the various presentations beginning the 16th of January. “Those need to be the finalized budgets that they’re presenting to the Board of Selectmen,” explained Carlson. “So starting in December the preliminary budgets will be compiled so that they’re ready for presentation in mid-January.”
Looking to work with the leadership in surrounding towns, Carlson has already met with Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo as well as reaching out to Darien’s newly elected First Selectman, Jon Zagrodzky.
Her first official act as First Selectman was to engage in a long-standing local tradition—the Turkey Bowl wager with Zagrodzky.
Carlson divulged details of the good-natured bet with Darien’s First Selectman. The stakes? A hundred dollars to the winner’s athletic foundation.
“It’s official. We are officially betting on the outcome of the Turkey Bowl, and I will be flipping the coin on Thanksgiving Day,” Carlson confirmed with a mix of civic pride and competitive spirit.
