FORMER COMMUNITY SERVICE COORDINATOR AT CITY HALL
GETS MARRIED & RETURNS HOME
AS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CITYCENTER DANBURY
"A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm" - playwright Henrik Ibsen
He left hometown Danbury to get married, and now joined by his wife, Kara, and their 11-year-old chocolate Labrador, Charlie Brown, he returns to the town where he played High School football. PJ Prunty has been named new Executive Director of CityCenter Danbury. He couldn't be more thrilled, but his delayed honeymoon comes first. In mid-August, he will take the position, filled for eight years by another Danbury enthusiast, Andrea Gartner. As he calls in from Hawaii, “ I look forward to building upon the recent successes within CityCenter Danbury and to further increase the positive momentum that is clearly visible throughout our Downtown. I'm appreciative for the opportunity to work with the members of the CityCenter Board, staff, Downtown property owners and merchants, and residents to continue to make CityCenter Danbury the destination for business opportunities, arts and culture, dining and entertainment, and history buffs." PJ returns from a year at Empire State College in Saratoga Springs, NY, where he served in the Office of the President in much the same way as he served Mayor Mark Boughton for five years. In 2010, PJ was hired as community services coordinator at Danbury City Hall. His bride of seven months served as a contract analyst for the Office of the New York State Comptroller.
The new man on Main Street, PJ's senior thesis at Hartwick College (B.A. Political Science), "The Decline of Social Capital in America," proves he's one for the job. During his stint at City Hall he coordinated the Citizens' Government Academy, a three-month long seminar educating the citizens of Danbury on municipal services, along with working in conjunction with the Hispanic Center of Danbury to educate recent United States citizens about local government matters. He manage the S.A.V.E. program (Seniors Add Valuable Experience), working side by side with the United Way of Danbury to help seniors volunteer within City Hall to receive property tax credits. He raised more than $30,000 by organizing the annual Mayor's Cup to support the local education system. PJ also sat on several community Boards, representing the Mayor: the Underage Drinking Prevention Council, Stand Together Make a Difference (substance abuse awareness), and CityCenter Danbury. The 27-year-old stresses that the attraction of Danbury remains for him: "great potential," "enthusiastic people," and "diversity".
As the key management for Downtown, CityCenter Danbury is a non-profit that works to meet, sustain, and surpass the four principals of Organization, Promotion, Design, and Economic Restructuring under the National Main Street Program. CityCenter is only one of five Downtown Improvement Districts in Connecticut recognized by the Connecticut Main Street Center and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. CityCenter is supported, in part, by Union Savings Bank, Ventura, Ribeiro & Smith, Family & Children's Aid, Danbury Parking Authority, Danbury Cultural Commission and the City of Danbury. For information about CityCenter programs and services, call CityCenter Danbury at (203) 792 1711 or visitcitycenterdanbury.com