By: Alice Wanamaker
UPDATED 8:40PM - February 7, 2013
Fiorella “FI” Mirabito confirmed today in an exclusive interview with The Home News that she would be running for Mayor of Bath in the 2013 general election. Ms. Mirabito served on Council for two years before resigning in late 2010 for undisclosed personal reasons. The confirmation comes after months of speculation that she would be seeking the position. Ms. Mirabito outlined the reasons for her entry back into Bath political life. “In a nutshell, when my parents came [to Bath] they had two suitcases,” she said. “Bath was very good to me, good to my family and continues to be good to me. I do care for this little town, I really do.”
Ms. Mirabito will be filling the paperwork for her mayoral bid later this month. “There have been a lot of challenges [in my life] this past year, now is a good time,” she said of her decision to run for the position of highest-ranking official in municipal government.
She told The Home News that she has decided to run now because she wants to have Bath recognized in a positive light. “I am very proud to be here and to have raised my sons in Bath,” she said “Bath has a lot to offer.” Her decision was solidified when incumbent Mayor Donald Wunderler announced he would not be seeking reelection in November. “I would not run against [Mayor Wunderler], I have too much respect for him,” Ms. Mirabito said.
Mayor Don Wunderler expressed his best wishes for Ms. Mirabito when told of her bid by the Home News. “I hope her health is good in order to do what she wants to do.” Wunderler has had health complications following a stroke in 2009 and has cited this as one of his reasons for not seeking re-election.
Ms. Mirabito immigrated to America with her parents at just five years old and has called Bath home ever since. She became a citizen of the United States in 1999. “As a little kid, I would say that maybe one day I would run for Mayor, it has been in my mind for a long time,” she said.
Aside from being a casting vote when Borough Council comes to the impasse of a tie, the Mayor is a spokesperson for the community and represents the borough at civic and social events. Ms. Mirabito contends that while she doesn’t have a political agenda, she does have plans for Bath. One of her ideas is to begin annual social events in the Borough.
