Arena's Senior Status Causes Side Change

The new year has brought a new seat on the dais for First Ward Councilman Frank Arena.

Arena has spent the last two years sitting to the immediate left of Mayor Andy Skibitsky on the dais during the biweekly official meetings of the Council. With the retirement of fellow First Ward Republican Sal Caruana, Arena has moved to Caruana's seat to the immediate right of the mayor.

Town Clerk Claire Gray said Arena's seat change was caused by his promotion to senior councilman in the First Ward. Like U.S. senators, each ward's two councilmembers are divided into senior and junior members. Gray said town tradition has the senior members sitting to the right of the mayor and junior members sitting to the chief executive's left on the dais. The seats are arranged in numerical order of ward with the First Ward being the closest to the mayor. Arena's old seat on the dais is filled by new First Ward Councilman Sam Della Fera.

While Third Ward Councilman Dave Haas has an extra year on Council over his ward counterpart, Mark Ciarrocca, the seating is based on continious service. Haas served in 2003 following the resignation of Councilman Kevin Walsh, only to be defeated in the election by Ciarrocca. Haas returned to the Council in 2005, defeating then Councilwoman Darielle Walsh for the other Third Ward seat.

Arena's movement on the dais also divides the dais based on expiration of terms of office. Arena's other senior colleagues, Joann Neylan in the Second Ward, Ciarrocca in the Third Ward and Jim Foerst in the Fourth Ward, are all up for reelection with him in 2011. The junior side of the dais is all up in 2013.