Hire marks new era in community development

Date: 7/14/2009

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



CHICOPEE -- Springfield's loss is Chicopee's gain.

Carl Dietz, Springfield's acting housing director, has resigned from his position to accept a job as the head of the Community Development Department in Chicopee.

Dietz will begin the position in Chicopee on July 13. He is taking a pay cut for the new job, but he told Reminder Publications the challenge to be involved with the redevelopment of the former Uniroyal Tire property and other development opportunities in Chicopee attracted him to the job.

Chicopee Mayor Michael Bissonnette said Dietz's skill set was "almost a perfect fit" for the job.

The hiring is more than just the filling of a long vacant position, according to Bissonnette. The position notes the culmination of steps the city had to take to restore the trust of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) following actions taken in the Goyette Administration.

Audits conducted by HUD indicate the city, under Mayor Richard Goyette, had misused $8 million in federal funding. HUD froze federal funds for the city.

In the wake of the revelations, the long-time head of community development, Jeanne Kidwell was removed from her position. Bissonnette hired two former Chicopee housing and economic development officials -- Kathleen Lingenberg and Thomas Haberlin -- "to get the ship of state righted in community development."

"Without them, we couldn't get the federal freeze lifted," Bissonnette said.

Ultimately, through negotiations with HUD, the federal agency required only a $270,000 fine and the restoration of the HUD monies from the city's coffers.

"Even though we have to pay it back, we got to keep it in the city," Bissonnette said.

The HUD funds, through the Community Development Block Grant program, have been used for road and parks projects in the city as well as a new roof on the Boys & Girls Club, Bissonnette explained.

City Council President William Zaskey said the council would once again be working closely with community development personnel on projects.

Dietz started with the city of Springfield in August 2005 as the deputy director of housing and was appointed acting director of housing in July 2007. The city's Housing Department manages federal housing grants and provides housing related inspectional services and enforcement throughout the city.

Before working in Springfield, Dietz had been a project manager and a building inspector for the city of Chicopee and the building commissioner for South Hadley.

Lingenberg and Haberlin will remain in the department working for Dietz. Haberlin will focus on the Uniroyal redevelopment, while Lingenberg will be working on the Navy housing project.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno stated that Dietz was "a great asset to the city and he tackled neighborhood blight issues head on. I want to thank Carl for his service to the city and wish him well with all his future endeavors."