Saundra Kee Borges Steps Down as Top Hartford City Attorney

The city of Hartford's top attorney is leaving her position.

Corporation Counsel Saundra Kee Borges is departing Jan. 30 and deputy attorney Henri Alexandre will replace her in the interim as acting corporation counsel.

"It has been a pleasure to serve the public over the last 4 and one half years," Kee Borges wrote in her resignation letter to Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra, dated Dec. 30. "I have worked tirelessly during that period to bring about changes that I believe have served your administration, the Office of the Corporation Counsel and the public well."

Kee Borges began working for the city in the Office of Corporation Counsel upon graduating from law school at UConn. She served as deputy corporation counsel and then city manager when Mike Peters was mayor, according to Segarra. In 2002, she opened her own law firm and then returned to work for the city again as corporation counsel in 2010.

“Sandy’s commitment to the City of Hartford spans many years,” Segarra said in a statement. “She has been a valued member of my team and I wish her well in whatever she chooses next.”

Kee Borges was removed from her position as chief operating officer of the city in October 2013, a month after her city-owned vehicle was involved in an early morning crash following an NAACP dinner. Her fiance, acting Asst. Fire Chief Terry Waller, was driving at the time, according to police.

City Council members said they were not notified in advance about her departure. Councilman Ken Kennedy said her learned of the news in the mayor's press release.

"I told people I had heard nothing about it and did not expect it to occur, so I was surprised when the release came from the mayor's office," he explained. "I think it would have been nice for the Council to be notified ahead of the press release so that we had some understanding for why it occurred."

City Council President Shawn Wooden said he also just heard about the resignation and wasn't told in advance. He declined to comment on her departure at this time.

Kee Borges thanked the mayor for having confidence in her and giving her "the opportunity to serve the people of Hartford," she said.

"I'm pursuing several opportunities but first look forward to spending some much needed time with my family," Borges wrote.

Alexandre, who Segarra is appointing to fill in after Borges leaves, has served in the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection as legal director and also was an assistant attorney general for more than 15 years, Segarra's office said.

"It should be an incredibly smooth transition," Kennedy said. "[Alexandre has] been an outstanding deputy corporation counsel and I think he'll be an excellent corporation counsel."

Segarra's office said the mayor "is confident the office will continue to operate efficiently during this transitional period" given his 20 plus years of legal experience.

The reason for Kee Borges' departure is unknown and it's unclear if she's accepted a job elsewhere.

"Sandy is an excellent employee and has been an outstanding corporation counsel," Kennedy said. "She's a very good person and I'm sure whatever her reasons were for the resignation had nothing to do with work."

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