Carl Goldfield of Ward 29 was reelected to a third term as president of the New Haven Board of Aldermen Monday night at the board’s first meeting of the new year, Goldfield said in a phone interview.
Ward 3 Alderwoman Jacqueline James-Evans said last month that she would challenge Goldfield. But Goldfield said she dropped out of the race before the vote, and he ran unopposed.
James-Evans could not immediately be reached for comment Monday night.
Goldfield said one goal he has as president is “trying to get people back to work in the city.” He said he wants to find a way to hire New Haven residents instead of private contractors to do infrastructure repair.
James-Evans’s campaign was marked by reports that at least one call was made in her support by superstar reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. James-Evans told the News in a December interview that she had the “understanding that Jesse Jackson never called” and that she does not know Sharpton.
Although Ward 1 Alderman Mike Jones ’11, who represents most Yale undergraduates, told the News in December that he had not yet thrown his support behind either candidate, he said in an e-mail message Monday morning that he would support Goldfield.
Ward 20 Alderman Charles Blango was elected president pro tempore in Monday’s vote, Ward 21 Alderwoman Katrina Jones was elected majority leader, and Ward 22 Alderman Greg Morehead was elected deputy majority leader, Goldfield said, adding that they all ran unopposed. Morehead represents students who live in Ezra Stiles, Morse, Silliman and Timothy Dwight colleges and in Swing Space.