City Hall and then-Mayor Mike Peters, circa 1999
A Hartford legend and one of the city's biggest advocates, former firefighter and Mayor, Mike Peters passed away Sunday, January 4, 2009 after a struggle with liver failure. I had the pleasure of working with him briefly from the fall of 2000 to his last days in office. Over the years, when we would run into each other, he was always cordial and jovial, ribbing about the old days and talking about Hartford now. He was a great presence in the city and tried to do what he could for Hartford.
A few of my personal memories of Mayor Mike after the jump.
Hartford Courant Photo Gallery
Mayor Mike almost got me laid once.
I don't quite remember the first time I met Mayor Mike Peters. It was in the Council Chambers of City Hall in the fall of 2000. I had just come back to Hartford from a stint in college, putting up with retail for 2 years, making a short film and couch hopping in New York (Brooklyn, to be exact). Essentially, I had been absent during the 'real' years of Mike Peters' term as mayor. The years of real financial hardship and the 'gang wars' of the mid 1990's. From what most will read in the days to come, he may have helped clean some of that up, help the city get back on it's feet, push some building initiatives, while taking just as many punches for some of it's other financial issues, initiatives that didn't ferment, such as the Patriots debacle, personal hits, etc., that plenty that followed him will no doubt eulogize for the next week. Nope, I was there for the last year of his last term when he was everyone's whipping boy and the target of the Hartford Courant's editorial write-ups and city reporter (y'know, back when that paper thought it would outlast everything). I was in the chambers when, after a vicious back stabbing by his former ally, Deputy-Mayor Sanchez, he sat and listened to scolding commentary from constituents who were siding with a powerhungry politico who waited until the mayor was out of the country to attempt to launch a coup. (by the by, she has been that popular since). I was 'the cameraguy' sitting in the back of Council Chambers, watching and recording the events unfold. Mayor Mike introduced himself my first time there, then would ask my name every few weeks. It's what happens. Who was I in the grand scheme of the city of Hartford?
Even though I was recording for the City for Hartford Government Access, Mayor Peters was one of the few that didn't get on camera. He would show up to ceremonies, give his pro-Hartford speeches, end with "Go, Hartford!" and walk away - usually within 30 seconds. When I saw him, before these events, before court of common council meetings, before press conferences, he was always jovial with the people gathered. He'd turn on his political hat and do his job (some will naturally argue with that), and he could be your strongest supporter or a fierce opponent. From my viewpoint behind the camera, so it all. But here's the thing you will also hear about him: everyone has a Mayor Mike story. Love him or hate him, everyone will tell you a story about Mike.
An old friend of ours who has moved out of Hartford since, used to tell a great one about an annual end-of-the-year party that he would throw in the South End where they would launch the 'flaming head of Reagan' into his back yard. On one such party, late in the evening, Mayor Mike, a notorious party-lover, appeared, stopping by after another party. So honored was our mate, Ed, that he allowed Mayor Mike the honors of launching the flaming head of Reagan. (ok, this is my drunken rememberances of events, so Mr. Erikson can correct me on it). Even my best friend from high school, who lived a story, had a Mayor Mike connection: his mom went to Hartford Public High School with Mayor Mike and his future wife. In fact, I was talking with my Mayor Mike once about this and I mentioned this connection and that she had said 'hello' to him. He asked her name. "um... Matt's mom?" was all I could say. Laughing, he replied, "oh, yeah, I remember her!"
I have 3 favorite Mayor Mike anecdotes of my own. Only one of them involves alcohol. The first was during a festive event at City Hall where all were gathered. It was an actual party, so plenty were enjoying the festivities, laughing and cheering for the camera. People were all giving comments for our program. At one point, off to the side, I found Mayor Mike and asked him if he'd like to go on camera and discuss the event (sorry, memory fades). He just smiled and said, "No thanks, this is about (the employees). Let them have the screen time." Sure, it wasn't major, but it was still a nice little humble moment.
Later on, during June, when the heat, the press, the politricks, and constituents were really coming down on him, attacking him any way they could, the talks began of Mayor Mike bowing out of a reelection run. He'd already served four 2-year terms, and this last one hadn't been pretty. Before one council meeting, my interns and I had gotten there rather early for production. We got called into the mayor's private office, which was then directly behind the council seat. He sat there, asking all three of us about ourselves, our goals, our objectives. It was an interesting moment. Mayor Mike was laid back, the decision having been reached that he wasn't going to run again. He was smiling and joking more than I'd seen him do in a while. A photo book of Hartford had just been published. He reached into a box on a side table and handed each of us a copy, told us to find our favorite photo, and bring it back next time to have him sign it. (Sadly, I never got around to doing it, and I don't think my interns did either).
The mood outside was solemn. It was one of those calm afternoons where clouds had begun to blot out the dark blue sky of impending storms. The windows in the office were open and a strong electric-crisp gust of wind was blowing in. At this point, Mayor Mike was looking out of the window, at the old Hartford Times building (still in use by the city then). He was looking east and the sky was much darker now with clouds. The wind picking up, he just looked out and said, "Summer storm is coming. I like those the best; y'know, they come along and just clean the air out, open it up again so you can breathe. The city is nicer after a good summer storm."
My third Mayor Mike moment is how he almost got me laid once. I don't know how many people you will talk to about Mayor Mike in the next week, but eventually, some one will lean in and tell you some sketchy story. Because everyone has a Mayor Mike story. It was mid-July and I was finally hanging out with this beautiful friend of mine because her then-boyfriend was out of town. It was innocent enough, mind you, but there was a bit of sexual tension (I'm a guy... when isn't there sexual tension?!). We were looking for a bar to hang out at after dinner. I remembered that the bar around my house, The Phoenix Society, was owned by then-Councilman Steven Harris who I really admired and had been telling me to stop by. So we went there, expecting a nice quite, hole-in-the-wall place to drink. As we walk in, seated at the bar directly in front of the door, were Coucilman Harris and Mayor Mike. It felt like being a rock star, they both just jumped up and greeted me and my companion. After introductions, we briefly mentioned politics, which we all agreed we were sick of. It turns out, the Democratic Town Committee was having their convention to nominate candidates for the election, just down the block. Mayor Mike and Councilman Harris, neither running for reelection, decided to duck out for drinks at the old firefighter's haunt. They bought us a round and talked me up to the young lady.
Eventually, the majority of Democratic candidates and town committee members ended up at the small bar. We already had seats so we were good, whereas it quickly became standing room only. In all of this, through this crowd, Mayor Mike kept coming over and introducing different Hartford politicos to me and my companion and talking me up everytime. As the night went on and we were hobnobbed and introduced by all the then-powerplayers in Hartford Democratic land, it was Mayor Mike pointing us out to people (ok, and a two other good city hall friends). By the end of it, my friend turned to me, and seductively whispered through a light tipsy haze, "If we were on a real date right now, you would sooooo be getting laid tonight!"
After Mayor Mike left office, I would occasionally run into him at various events. There was a grand jovial quality about him. One that glowed even as, in recent years, his health and body began to deteriorate. While at once he looked healthier in that he lost a great deal of weight, one could also see that there was a certain risk to that. But just as soon as one thought about questioning his health, Mayor Mike would crack a joke, shake your hand, and slap your shoulder. More than likely, as most, I was always 'the Kid' to him, or the 'camera'. Last few times I had the pleasure to see him, he was at fundraisers, helping raise money for such Hartford institutions as Real Art Ways and Hartford Areas Rally Together. With Mike, it was always about Hartford.
The book Mayor Mike gave me before a summer storm.
Those are my Mayor Mike stories. What are yours?
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