“THE PEOPLE’S MAYOR”
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, a native son of the City of Springfield, has earned a reputation for his commitment to community-based programs to address quality-of-life issues, education and public safety.
A former four-term City Councilor who served as City Council President and as a member of the Springfield Finance Control Board, Sarno was elected Mayor on November 6, 2007.
Sarno's focus on quality-of-life issues has led to the creation of a full-time constituent services officer who is responsible for logging and directly responding to citizen complaints. The constituent services officer, who is located in the Mayor's Office, heads up the innovative Springfield Flex Squad, so named because of the organization's strength and flexibility in responding to issues. Under Sarno's newly created Flex Squad, the constituent services officer forms small working groups comprised of the appropriate city departments to directly address citizen concerns on an individual and case-specific manner.
As Mayor, Sarno has pledged to work to improve the future of Springfield's youth by taking a hard look at our public school system. Public safety, Mayor Sarno has stated, will also be a key priority to his Administration. Since taking office, Mayor Sarno has overseen the selection process of a new Police Commissioner and Superintendent of Schools, William Fitchet and Dr. Alan Ingram, respectively.
In a unique partnership between the Police Department and the Mayor’s Office, a squad of four officers has been launched to address issues related to Quality of Life ordinances. The Squad has activated a telephone hotline for such matters and has been well received by members of the business community and homeowners alike. The Mayor has also assembled a team consisting of representatives from the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, Springfield Police Department, Mayoral Staff, and neighborhood residents to walk through targeted neighborhoods during weekends. These walks not only promote the Mayor’s accessibility but, moreover, they allow City officials to see and hear directly from neighbors about the blight, security and other issues that impact their quality of life.
As Mayor of a city comprised of many cultures and ethnicities, Sarno is committed to inclusiveness. In the weeks following his election, he assembled a 45-member Transition Team comprising diverse professionals in the areas of public safety, education, finance, economic development and human services. His Chief of Staff Denise R. Jordan is the City's first African American to hold the position and his Mayoral Staff represents the most diverse in the City's history.
Sarno is a graduate of the High School of Commerce, where he excelled as an athlete and scholar. He was elected class president as a freshman and junior and named to All Western Massachusetts in soccer and All City League in baseball. He attended American International College as a political science major and holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Westfield State College, where he was inducted into the National Honors Society.
Sarno served as a mayoral aide under Mayor Mary Hurley from 1989 to 1991 and worked with District Attorney William Bennett from 1996 to 2002. He served as executive director of the South End Community Center from 2002 until his election as Mayor.
Sarno is the recipient of the Italian Cultural Center of Western Massachusetts 2007 Serviam Award. He received the Man of the Year award in 2005 from Springfield Unico and holds numerous other athletic, scholarship and community service distinctions.
Mayor Sarno is the son of World War II survivors Alfonso and Clara Sarno, who immigrated to America and settled in Springfield, where they established Clara's Alterations and Al's Barber Shop. Sarno, who was born in Springfield on May 4, 1963, attributes his respect for all people and personal motto of treating everyone equally and with dignity to his upbringing.
Sarno is married to Carla Sarno. The two are the parents of two daughters Cassandra and Chiara.
