Lori Hopkins-Cavanagh Proposes Consolidated Municipal Campus

Describing the existing facilities for municipal government as outdated and disjointed, mayoral candidate Lori Hopkins-Cavanagh proposed Wednesday that a new municipal campus be created.

The discussion, held at , is the first in a series Hopkins-Cavanagh is planning to host over the next several weeks. After a brief discussion of her background and 10-point plan of action, Hopkins-Cavanagh explained the proposal for consolidating services. She said an investor looking to do business in New London would be stymied by the fact that department are located in several different locations, stretching from Union Street to Broad Street.

“There’s a great cost to have these services disjointed,” she said.

Under Hopkins-Cavanagh’s plan, departments would be moved together to occupy as well as space in the , located across Masonic Street from City Hall. She said the move would improve access to services, keep the departments downtown, and allow the use of the post office’s parking lot.

“Only a fraction of that post office is used right now, so it presents a great opportunity to us,” she said.

Regarding the operation of municipal government, Hopkins-Cavanagh said there needs to be greater efficiency in how offices are run. She said that while this would not result in job cuts, it would also not add new municipal positions. She said there also needs to be greater interdepartmental coordination, an improvement in technological services, and a central portal for information.

Hopkins-Cavanagh started the evening by telling the audience about as the owner of an advertising company and realtor and gave an overview of the 10 areas she wants to address as mayor. She said there is a need to address the issues facing the city as interconnected matters rather than one at a time. The proposals include the establishment of the “International Shops,” the launch of several multicultural retail stores at once to help attract tourism from cruise ships and elsewhere; the creation of a visitor center in the current ; the establishment of a new police department on a vacant lot at Bank Street and Howard Street; new programs aimed at students, with the specific goal of addressing violent incidents at ; and the relocation of residents in the low-income high-rise apartments on Crystal Ave. and demolition of the buildings.

Hopkins-Cavanagh said she is not running affiliated with any political party and said she is a “free agent” detached from special interests. She said politics in New London has been stagnant for several years, and described her six opponents as having little substance in their campaigns.

“They’re not going to bring change to New London,” she said. “They have too much debt, too many special interests and they don’t have a plan.”

Hopkins-Cavanagh said the topics of her upcoming discussions are subject to change, and an updated list will be available on her website.