Warde Alum Sherri Steeneck Sworn-In as Fairfield's First Selectman This Week

Sherri Steeneck has been involved in politics since she was 13 years old. The 1977 Andrew Warde High School graduate told me that she started out "stuffing envelopes" when she was in junior high school and, 17 years later, she was named chairman of the Fairfield Democratic Town Committee.

Her political career was punctuated this week when she was sworn in as the town's first selectman Wednesday morning in a small ceremony that she wanted to have for her mother. Steeneck is pictured below flanked by Selectman James Walsh (left) and former First Selectman Ken Flatto (right).

Town Clerk Betsy Browne swore Steeneck into her new job in the first selectman's office in Sullivan-Independence Hall. Steeneck took over as first selectman at midnight due to the resignation of Flatto, who accepted a job in Gov. Dannel Malloy's administration. Flatto served as the town's chief executive from 1997-1999 and 2001-2011.

"I think I am the first Warde alumnus to be first selectman, now that you mention it," Steeneck told me. "I hadn't considered that before." As for the ceremony, Steeneck said there was "no big fanfare. Just a little, simple swearing-in." She is pictured below with her Mother (seated) and Browne during the official ceremony.

Steeneck's political resume in Fairfield is quite impressive. "I started my involvement with town politics when I was 27 years old," she said. "I had returned to Fairfield from the Boston area and was appointed a ZBA alternate, replacing another member who had passed away. I was later appointed to the Human Services Commission and the Water Pollution Control Authority. I was elected to the RTM by District 2, three or four times, and was a member of the Finance and Health and Safety subcommittees of the RTM.

"Later, I was elected townwide to the TPZ, two or three times, and three years ago I was appointed Selectman when Denise Dougiello became ill and needed to step down," she continued. "Currently I am the acting first selectman, until we choose the interim first selectman. In between, in the late 90s, I was Director of Community and Economic Development for the Town of Fairfield and staff for the Economic Development Commission and Affordable Housing Committee."

Steeneck is supposed to name someone who will serve as first selectman in her stead should she be away or ill, but she said Wednesday afternoon that she hadn't done that yet. So, how does it feel to be the town's top official? "At the moment, it feels tiring as I had two late night budget hearing RTM meetings the nights before my first day, which culminated in a Board of Selectman meeting, and the Holocaust Commemoration."

Steeneck said she's not interested in keeping the position long-term. "I have a few loyal real estate clients hanging in with me, and I have my family's business to keep running; hence, why I don't want the position for a lengthy period, even though it is an honor and I will do it to the best of my abilities for the time being," she admitted. "It appears that will be for approximately the next 40 days based on the need for Jim Walsh, the other Selectman, and I to agree on an interim candidate for first selectman."

Steeneck proposed that Michael Tetreau, son of Fern Tetreau, the former Assistant Principal at Fairfield Woods Junior High (now middle school) and former football coach at Andrew Warde, be named the interim first selectman, but that choice has been met with opposition from the GOP. "The Republicans are worried that Mike will be a formidable candidate and don't want to take our party's selection as a result," she told me, "so the process continues for another 30 days."

Good luck, Sherri. We are proud of all your accomplishments and wish you well as Fairfield's First Selectman.

Paul