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08/07/2024 08:30 AMThe last two months have been busy ones for East Haven resident Michelle Benivegna since she became the second-ever town manager of Clinton.
At the end of May, the Clinton Town Council emerged from an executive session to make an important announcement: Michelle had been hired to become Clinton’s new Town Manager starting June 10. As town manager, Michelle is tasked with running the town’s day-to-day operations, including supervising most of the town departments as well as their functions, programs, and services.
Speaking with the Harbor News in early August, Michelle says the job has been going well.
“It’s going great; I’ve been spending time getting to know the different departments and getting to know the different people on the boards and commissions as well as getting to know the business community in town,” Michelle says. “I’ve also been working on bringing the departments together to establish a relationship so they know my door is always open and that we are a team here.”
Besides getting a feel for the community, Michelle says she’s been familiarizing herself with the local issues affecting Clinton.
“I’m learning the local challenges such as Pierson and the wastewater management situation,” Michelle says.
Michelle also shared some of the items she hopes to begin working on in the near future.
“I’m looking forward to making some headway with bringing economic development into town. Clinton has some unique challenges as a long and narrow town without a real downtown center. Also, I want to work with the Town Council to bring their vision of town to the forefront and continue to build relationships with stakeholders in Clinton,” says Michelle.
Prior to coming to Clinton, Michelle worked as the director of economic development and director of administration and management for the town of East Haven. Asked about her proudest accomplishments in that role, Michelle replies, “Creating a tax incentive program in October 2023 that was unanimously approved, as well as my work implementing a lot of community events that brought the town together.”
Michelle says moving on from East Haven was part of a “natural career progression” and a “natural fit” for her.
“I was very well groomed for this role in East Haven; I’m very prepared for it,” she says.
For Michelle, working in municipal government is something that had long been on her radar.
“I’ve always been invested in public service and working with families and children. I see this as the best of both worlds where I get to work to implement changes that hopefully better the community for the long term,” Michelle says.
Based on that interest in public service, Michelle says the best part of her job is seeing the fruits of her labor come to fruition.
“My favorite part is the results from the changes and policies you implement that lead to improvements in the community that you get to see on a daily basis and doing community events. When you read about East Haven or now Clinton becoming a destination of interest because something you had a part of is a great feeling,” Michelle says.
Of course, that’s not to say the job is without its challenges. Michelle notes it can be hard balancing the wants and needs of so many different entities in town, including sometimes saying “no” to people.
“I’m responsible for 13,000 people and what’s best for the community as a whole,” Michelle sums up.
Michelle grew up in nearby East Haven, where she still resides with her husband David and son Chase. In her spare time, Michelle enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her family. Though she’s only been a member of the Clinton community for a short while, the town is already growing on Michelle.
“It’s just a charming community from the residents to the beach. The community has really embraced me, and I look forward to helping Clinton be the most prosperous community it can be,” Michelle says.