By Josh LaBella
Voice Reporter
Director of Personnel and Labor Beth Sabo began working at city hall 42 years ago, and during that time she’s worn many hats. While she isn’t from West Haven, or Connecticut for that matter, she said she has a deep appreciation for the community.
Sabo said she came to Connecticut from New York to get her master’s degree from SCSU in the early 70s. It was the height of the “teaching crunch,” she said, and there were not many teacher jobs out there.
I wasn’t able to get a job,” said Sabo, “So, I worked elsewhere for a period of time. I interviewed with a gentleman by the name of Bill Fulbruick. He was the community development manager. This was under Robert Johnson’s administration.”
Sabo said the city did not get back to her for about a year but they eventually offered her a job to run an after school program. She said when she came to talk to them she asked to meet with Johnson to discuss his commitment to the program.
“Back then, I didn’t realize that asking to see the mayor was a bigger deal than just making an appointment,” said Sabo.
According to Sabo, Mayor Johnson asked Fulbruick about her salary and, when he found out she was being paid less than a man they had just hired, demanded she be paid the same wage. She said she thought that was amazing back in 1977.
Sabo worked as the Community Activities Coordinator and ran “Project Soften,” which serviced communities and families in targeted neighborhoods. The program enlisted teachers to lead students in everything from volleyball games to cooking classes.
When the grant ran out Sabo became the Assistant Director of Human Resources and remained in that job until 1987 when Mayor Azelio “Sal” Guerra reorganized city departments to create commissioner positions. She said she took the job and was fortunate to remain in that post until 2003.
“I was made — once Artie Ferris had retired — Commissioner of Public Works,” said Sabo, “and that took me until about 2013. In 2014, under the O’Brien administration they asked me if I would be the Personnel Director, which has a dual capacity.”
Sabo said the position is not only the Personal Director but also the Head of Social Services – Human Resources. When Mayor Rossi was elected she was reappointed to the position and remains there today.
Some of her favorite accomplishments, she said, were renovating places like Quigley Stadium, the West Haven Green, the Veterans’s Walk of Honor and the high school baseball and softball fields.
“I’ve been able to do things outside of what people might consider to be the realm of human resources or public works,” said Sabo. “That, I have found incredibly rewarding.”
Sabo said she has met incredible people along the way. She said she has learned as much from them as she hopes they have from her.
“The truth is that, by the time I am ready to retire, it will have been an honor and a privilege to have worked for this community,” said Sabo. “That’s really how I feel about it.”
West Haven has a lot to offer, said the director. She said the community really comes out for a cause, regardless of what it is. Sabo has been on the Breast Cancer Awareness Committee since its formation.
The seed for the committee was planted after Savin Rock Community School teacher Susan Ruickoldt died of breast cancer. The Committee has held numerous yearly fundraisers. In the time they have operated it has raised over $700,000. Every year they give a $2,000 scholarship to a senior graduating from any of the high schools in West Haven.
“[The person who is awarded the scholarship] are not selected based on financial need,” said Sabo. “It’s based on community involvement and they have to write on the importance of mammograms.”
Sabo said none of it would be possible if it was not for the West Haven Community. She said it reminds her of the Margaret Meade quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”