Boughton proud of accomplishments, but not satisfied

Photo Provided by Mayor Mark Boughton.

Meghan Edwards, News Editor
October 23, 2017

Mark Boughton has been mayor of Danbury for 16 years, making him the longest serving executive in the city’s history.

The Republican is seeking re-election to another two-year terms this fall. He opened his talk with the students by pointing out his qualifications.

“I think as a former teacher with a master’s degree in educational psychology there’s no one in the city of Danbury that has the experience that I do,” said Boughton, a military veteran and former state lawmaker.

For 14 years Boughton was a DHS history teacher. He worked closely with Boucher, and looks back on these years fondly, reminiscing on days spent on social studies field trips together.

Many of Boucher’s students know him for his Twitter feed, which he uses to tease students about possible snow days but also as a way to inform them and his other followers about city business. Most students know him informally as Mayor Mark.

The impression Boughton made on junior Elizabeth Croxford — through both his Twitter personality and when she met him in class — was generally positive.

“Though his language can be very child-like, he can really connect with the students and he always finds a way to make our town happy,” she wrote in response to a survey Boucher distributed after the talk.

Boughton told the students he has made many promises to Danbury residents that he has kept and will continue to keep. He said he even has a poster of his pledges hanging on the wall of his office in City Hall to ensure that he follows through.

“

,” he says, pointing, as an example, to his pledge providing Danbury children with all-day kindergarten class, despite the financial challenges. He also mentioned his promise to build a new police station, which now stands on 375 Main St.

“The best politicians are those who just want to get it done,” Boughton said to the class.

Other accomplishments that he shared with the students include: Danbury’s top ranking as a city that’s safe, a city that’s receptive to new business, and a city that offers a high quality of life. He adds the city has the lowest unemployment rate in the state.

If he is re-elected, Boughton said he plans to focus primarily on education, the economy, and public safety.

“My heart is still here in this building,” he said, adding that he’s proud of the high school’s expansion and the progress with construction. The project was funded by a $60 million bond issue.

Boughton said he plans to improve Danbury’s economy by encouraging companies to move to Danbury, and for existing companies in the city to expand.

Other plans, if re-elected, include a reconfigured fire department and a general improvement to long-term public safety throughout the community.

“I want to make sure you’re protected,” Boughton said to Boucher’’s students, who mentioned in the surveys their concern for traffic issues and the condition of city roads.

Boughton has shown interest in running again for governor, which Almeida has questioned.

The mayor told the students that he has made no official plans to run for governor. He did say, however, that if he won statewide office that Danbury would surely benefit.

“If I am somewhere else I get to tell our story,” he said. “We’re one of the most diverse cities in the world. We’re a city where people aspire to do that, and that helps new businesses come to Danbury.”

Several students, though, said in their surveys that Boughton should choose which campaign he wants to run for.

“Since Boughton is running for governor, I feel like he might not be fully devoted to Danbury,” senior John Hoddinott said.

Boughton argues that he is passionate about Danbury, though, and that he has worked to set up every student for success in their future endeavors..

Junior Anastasiya Solovyeva said Boughton’s terms have been beneficial to the city.

“He seems to have made many great additions to the city and bettered the community,” Solovyeva said in the survey. “ think he has been a great mayor in the past years.”

If he is re-elected, Boughton says he will continue to work toward success for Danbury.

“I think Danbury is in a great spot, but I think we have a lot of work to do in the future,” he said. “I’m planning on doing that work, if you will let me.”