Gov. Ned Lamont has only been in office for 10 days and he already has the first winter weather event of his term.
It came much later than former Gov. Dannel Malloy’s. Malloy had two days to prepare following his inauguration.
“I think we’re ready to go,” Lamont said Friday. “I met with DOT yesterday. Gave them a shout out, you know, let’s get this right."
Lamont said he’s kept in close contact with Department of Transportation officials, and he held a conference call with leaders from Connecticut’ electric utility companies, United Illuminating and Eversource, Friday afternoon.
The storm is expected to arrive late Saturday, bringing snow and later turning into sleet and freezing rain by Sunday morning. Even though the brunt of the storm will be over by the afternoon on Sunday, frigid temperatures will lead to icing, threatening power outages in parts of Connecticut.
Lamont has said that he plans to spend most days of the week in Hartford, while spending weekends in Greenwich. He says he will be in Hartford the entire weekend because of the storm.
“We’re going to be in the Emergency Operations Center this weekend,” Lamont said.
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Connecticut is a state that has rewarded governors who handle storms well, and punished those who haven’t.
Malloy was considered trustworthy according to polling when it came to his ability to lead the state during major weather events. Holding utilities accountable for their lackluster response to the October snow storm in 2011 turned into a key moment.
However, the late former Gov. Tom Meskill did not have the same fortune. During the 1973 ice storm that crippled Connecticut, Meskill was on a ski trip in Vermont with his family.
That lack of leadership, combined with the Watergate scandal and his identifying as a Republican at the time, led to him not running for reelection.
Lamont says even though he’s only been on the job for just over a week, he’s prepared for whatever the storm brings.
“I think the team’s got things well in hand.”
