NORWALK – Mayor Harry Rilling announced Monday, March 3 that after 12 years of leading the City of Norwalk, he is not seeking reelection in November. It will end a 50-year career as a public servant.
Rilling, a Democrat, will fill out his term the rest of this year. His replacement will be determined this year on Election Day, when the Common Council and Board of Education are also up for election.
“It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve as mayor of Norwalk over the past 12 years,” said Mayor Rilling. “While this was a very difficult decision for me, after much consideration I have decided that this will be my last term as mayor as I’d like to spend more time with my family.
“I am unbelievably proud of all that we’ve accomplished together and want to especially thank the incredible residents of Norwalk for instilling their trust in me over these six terms and working with my team on our shared vision of improving our beloved city.”
Upon hearing the news, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) was bittersweet about Rilling’s announcement.
“After over 50 years of service to Norwalk, including more than a decade as mayor, Harry Rilling has certainly earned his retirement,” Duff said. “But that doesn’t make it any easier to see him go. After an entire career in law enforcement, Harry went on to become a steadfast leader who prioritized investing in Norwalk’s future, whether through supporting education, revitalizing the downtown area, or addressing climate change.
“It’s hard to imagine a more dedicated leader or a better partner. I wish him the best in this well-deserved retirement.”
Born and raised in Norwalk, Rilling has dedicated his career to serving the city in various public capacities. He was first elected mayor in November 2013 after retiring from the Norwalk Police Department, where he served for 41 years, including 17 years as the police chief.
Through his mayoral tenure Rilling made historic and unprecedented investments in education, improved quality of life for residents, transformed the city, and set Norwalk on a path to be the greenest city in Connecticut.
The mayor has been committed to revitalizing Norwalk’s downtown areas to support the business community. He is currently delivering on his promise of revitalizing the Wall Street downtown after decades of inaction and stalling on what was once a vibrant urban corridor ahead of the 1955 Flood.
A champion for education, the mayor took investments in students, schools and facility upgrades to new heights. Over the course of his tenure, he increased the school board’s operating budget by approximately $78 million, a 50% increase from when he came into office. He also prioritized the city’s first school construction projects in decades, culminating in much-needed renovations to Ponus Ridge School and Jefferson Elementary School. He also oversaw the construction of the city’s new school in more than 50 years with the state-of-the-art Cranbury Elementary School.
Under the mayor’s leadership, the city is also in the process of building a new Norwalk High School and a new South Norwalk neighborhood school. This will be the South Norwalk community’s first neighborhood school in more than 40 years, providing a much-deserved community school after decades of students having to travel to and from other schools across the city.
Mayor Rilling’s Administration has also worked tirelessly to mitigate the risks of climate change by putting Norwalk on a fast track to becoming the greenest city in Connecticut. In an effort to reduce traffic congestion and corresponding CO2 emissions, Rilling increased walkability and connectivity by installing record levels of new sidewalks and bike lanes. As a leader of a coastal community, he prioritized investments in sustainable and resilient infrastructure in neighborhoods and at parks and beaches to mitigate the risks of flooding.
Mayor Rilling has also made addressing issues of equity, access and inclusion a centerpiece of his administration. During his tenure, the city reinvested in its Fair Rent Office with new initiatives to promote housing stability and established an Affordable Housing Committee.
“During the remainder of my term, my team and I will continue to work as hard as ever because there is still much work to be done,” Rilling said. “Following my retirement, I plan to continue to support the important work of improving our city in any capacity I can, whether that’s by supporting the new mayor, whomever that may be, or otherwise.
“Finally, I want to thank Norwalk’s First Lady, my wife, Lucia Rilling, for supporting me along this journey as mayor. I couldn’t have done it without her. Our partnership and her shared love for our city and devotion to our community inspires me every day.”
