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12/09/2020 07:30 AMThough state senator-elect Paul Cicarella always knew he wanted to serve the community, he had never imagined that he might one day do so as an elected official. Paul first looked to serve the community through law enforcement, but when he was injured on the job, he couldn’t return due to the physical demands.
Instead, Paul fulfilled his sense of civic duty by getting involved in town government. Paul was born and raised in East Haven, though he, his wife, and their two children now live in North Haven where Paul began to get involved in town government. Over time, his involvement grew, becoming the vice chairman of the Republican Town Committee.
“I got involved with North Haven to be a part of the community and slowly but surely worked my way up in the Republican Town Committee,” says Paul. “About a year before Len [Fasano] announced he wouldn’t be running, he approached me to see if I’d be interested. I thought long and hard about it. It never would’ve crossed my mind and it was an honor for him to even think I could follow in his footsteps and provide the kind of service he did to the community for so long.”
Paul’s family was supportive of his decision and he was ready to hit the campaign trail. Unfortunately due to COVID, it was a little different than he had pictured, but he still made an effort to get into the communities he wanted to serve—East Haven, North Haven, Durham, and Wallingford. Despite the challenges, Paul still spent numerous hours knocking on doors, often joined by his wife, Christy, and their children, 8-year-old Giada and 6-year-old Paul III.
The efforts paid off as Paul won the election. Since his victory, Paul has continued to spend time in the 34th District with community members, business owners, and town officials to prepare for being sworn in in early January.
“Every day there’s been some type of call or meeting with someone in the district,” says Paul. “I’m new to politics at that level, so right now it’s about learning and listening to the constituents about how I can help. I want to be their voice in the Capitol and I’m excited to help.
“I have big shoes to fill as Len did a great job for such a long time,” adds Paul. “I want to be able to provide the level of service he did and make the district better in any way I can.”
While Paul may not have vast experience in politics, he plans to draw on common sense solutions, communicating with residents, and his experience as a small business owner. Paul is president and founder of Advanced Investigations, LLC, a private investigations agency with seven Connecticut locations. He is also the owner of National Bug Sweep and Advanced Installations.
“I have a phenomenal staff and without them I couldn’t have those companies and have time to put in a solid effort for the 34th District,” says Paul. “Without my team and the support from them, my parents, and my family, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this.”
Despite the amount of time dedicated to running his businesses and running for office, Paul continues to be involved in several community organizations, including the East Haven and Greater New Haven Chambers of Commerce, MADD, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Ronald McDonald House. He and his family have often collected stuffed animals for the Toy Closet at Yale.
“I like doing things like that with the kids and they’ve enjoyed it,” says Paul, who also coaches his children in soccer, baseball, and football. “They’re very active in sports and it’s fun to watch them learn and progress.”
Paul has experienced the importance of the role of coaches firsthand. A graduate of East Haven High School, Paul was a multi-sport athlete, but wrestling was his passion. He excelled on the mat in high school and later coached the Yellowjackets from 2005 to 2013 and started the town’s youth program. He was inducted into the East Haven Alumni Association Hall of Fame for his wrestling achievements.
“I owe a lot of my success to my high school wrestling coach and the sport of wrestling. The amount of discipline and sacrifice that goes into that sport has influenced how I raise my family, how I run my business, and how I look at life,” says Paul. “I’ve been fortunate to have great mentors in my wrestling coach, in business, and now in this new position. It means a lot to have mentors like Len [Fasano], Dave [Yaccarino], and Mike Freda, who have taken the time to teach me.”
Paul is looking forward to learning even more about his new role as state senator and says that he and his fellow Republican senators are hoping to return in person to the Capitol. Though he is not yet officially sworn in, he encourages people to reach out to him with any questions or concerns.
Once Paul is sworn in, one of his first goals is to have a signup page for virtual office hours so people can schedule meetings with him in addition to reaching him by phone or email.
“Because of COVID, right now we can’t have office hours in person, but I want to be sure anyone can get a hold of me at any time,” says Paul. “I want to cut through the red tape and get information to people fast. I look forward to being able to give back and be a part of the decisions that could make our towns and this district more prosperous.”