“We have a lot of things to do, and a long way to go.”

So says the new Mayor of Hamilton, Sutherland Madeiros, as he rolls up his sleeves and prepares to take on the responsibilities and challenges of an office he thought long and hard about accepting.

In April, retired with time on his hands, and far too young for the proverbial rocking chair, the former businessman agreed to re-join the Corporation of Hamilton as a “backroom person” at the behest of his good friend and then-Mayor, Jay Bluck.

“I was looking for something to do to contribute to society, and Jay asked me to run with him to become a member of the Corporation of Hamilton. Here was a position I was looking forward to pursuing: helping Jay, the Corporation in general, and Hamilton as a whole,” Mr. Madeiros recalls.

Not in his wildest dreams did the alderman envisage that, with Mr. Bluck’s sudden death just four short months later, he would be facing one of the most difficult decisions of his life: whether or not to continue serving on the Corporation.

In the end, because Mr. Madeiros so closely identified with the late Mayor’s aims and ambitions for the City, he declared his candidacy for the top spot so that he could “follow through” on them.

“Plus I had some dreams and visions of my own — in particular to make Hamilton a better place,” he says.

Sitting comfortably in the elegant Mayor’s parlour at City Hall, the new incumbent reveals over tea that top of his list of priorities is “the safety of visitors and residents alike”.

Making the City a cleaner and livelier place, better management of traffic flow, providing more parking and public art, a new hotel, revamping or replacing the pond in front of City Hall, creating a Reserve Fund for capital projects, reviewing trash collection times, and refurbishment of the Mayor’s parlour are among the other items on his list. While it is clear that he means business, and is not simply floating post-electoral “pies in the sky,” Mr. Madeiros also indicates that he will continue to be guided by the same fiscal caution practised during his many years as a banker and owner of a thriving Hamilton business.

“I am accustomed to handling other people’s money prudently,” he assures. For example, casting an eye around the elegant Mayor’s parlour, rather than opting for an extreme makeover, Mr. Madeiros simply plans some steam-cleaning, a little reupholstering, and new lampshades for the chandeliers.

“It should be a showpiece,” he says. “Tourists come here, and it needs to look attractive. They should be as happy to see it as we are proud of it. It is also the people’s room.”

Similarly, the Corporation will think carefully about whether to refurbish or replace the present City Hall pond, and which will come first: a new hotel on the Par-la-Ville park site, or the creation of new, underground car park beneath the present City Hall car park, with an attractive green park, complete with fountains, benches and landscaping at ground level — both of which he will encourage.

“Whichever comes first, car park or hotel, there will be sufficient room at Bull’s Head to take up most of the slack,” he says.

To make Hamilton a livelier place, Mr. Madeiros wants to encourage more development of apartments and condos on top of office buildings “as is the case in the Channel Islands”.

Controlling traffic flow in the City needs attention, as does the easing of parking problems.

“One idea which has been suggested is that we encourage companies to build apartment blocks for expat employees for which one could not have the ARV entitling one to have a car, but I think to stop people from having a car is disenfranchising them,” the mayor says.

Certainly, he fully intends to continue his predecessor’s dedication to the arts, and says plans to make Hamilton more art-friendly will include the display of bronze sculptures from the John and Nelga Young Collection in Par-la-Ville park, as well as “over time, the erection of other pieces of art throughout the City”.

Knowing that the current sewage line has a finite life, Mr. Madeiros believes that now is the time to establish a Reserve Fund to finance its replacement, as well as other capital projects.

Gum-chewers and smokers are also in the Mayor’s sights, with a new steam-cleaning machine set to swing into action clearing the sidewalks of the unsightly wads of discarded chicle.

Special, strategically placed cannisters and a vigorous education programme will hopefully stop selfish smokers from littering the streets — and subsequently Hamilton Harbour after a downpour — with their butts.

“Cleanliness sounds like a little thing, but to me it is important,” Mr. Maderios says.

Indeed, one glance at this open, friendly man tells you that he lives by what he says.

He may eschew socks, but his natty moccasins are polished to military perfection, his moustache is meticulously groomed, not one steel grey hair is out of place, and his dress is impeccable.

In fact, if left on his own, he proudly declares, “I am able to take care of myself in terms of washing, ironing and vacuuming. I think one has to do it of necessity.”

He draws the line at cooking, however, finding it easier to eat out.

Despite occupying such a high profile position, the mayor makes it clear that his style is down to earth, approachable and unpretentious.

In fact, it was with reluctance that he donned the chain of office for our photograph, and it took the assurance of a seasoned staffer, who pinned it on him, that, despite his thoughts to the contrary, he would have to wear it on ceremonial occasions.

Born to Ann and James when his mother was 41 and many years after his siblings, Graham, Harold and Marjorie, young Sutherland was raised “as an only child” in Southampton west, where both sets of grandparents owned “a substantial amount of property”.

“All of the Madeiros family to whom I am related are from that area, and although I live in Smith’s my heart is always in Southampton,” he says today.

Mr. Madeiros first attended Sandys Grammar School before moving on to Warwick Academy, which he remembers as “some of the best days of my life”.

At both schools, the young man excelled at sports, and at Warwick did particularly well in mathematics — so much so, in fact, that he worked on Saturdays, at Christmastime, and during school holidays in the Collections Department of the Bank of Bermuda.

Following his years at business college in Canada, Mr. Madeiros returned to the Bank, where he became the first person under 30 years of age to be appointed an officer — “a lot different to how things are today” — and credits former general manager Jack Lightbourn and the late Cyril Bardgett for the good training and mentoring he received.

“The culture of the Bank was different to what it is today,” the former deputy manager of banking says. “We used to work hard and play hard, and we respected one another within the Bank.

“Doing a good job was more important than getting ahead of the person at the next desk to you. The culture changed from the mid-’80s to the ‘90s.”

Retiring in 1989 dovetailed perfectly with an opportunity to purchase the Sportseller in the Washington Mall.

Still an active, avid sportsman, it was a natural “fit,” even though it became a “seven-days-a-week” job, including Saturdays, Hamilton’s busiest retail day.

Thanks to the excellent management skills of Mrs. Sharon Fenn, who took care of buying, pricing and staffing, Mr. Madeiros continued in business for 14 years, before selling out to her in 2003 in order to spend more time with his wife Susan.

Reducing his sporting activities — which over the years included soccer, rugby, sailing, triathlons, running and equestrian — to golf, the father of two daughters, Vanessa and Abigail, then found himself with “a little more time” on his hands than he was used to, which is how the late Mr. Bluck was able to talk him into re-joining the Corporation of Hamilton.

As Mayor, Mr. Madeiros knows that certain aspects of his life will change, both as a public figure and as a family man.

Spending whole summers in Vermont, for example, are no longer an option because, as the man at the helm of the City, he needs to be just that.

“I might have to commute, although unfortunately the Corporation doesn’t have a private jet!” he muses.

While his family is “fully supportive” of his new position, Mayor Madeiros modestly admits that he did not tell his daughters, both of whom are abroad, that he was running for office.

“I hope I don’t have to deal with the paparazzi,” Abigail quipped when she found out.

Acknowledging that he now faces “a steep learning curve”, the new Hamilton mayor nonetheless remains positive.

“It is a tremendous responsibility. I never, ever had any ambition or desire to run for Mayor, but I feel I am fulfilling a mission for my late friend.”

Nonetheless, Mr. Madeiros is “optimistic about the future, excited about the challenges ahead, and getting the support of the rest of the Corporation and (approximately 106) staff for the new boy on the block”.

“I intend to do my best” is his promise.

Sutherland Madeiros reflects on becoming Mayor of Hamilton