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Date: 8/20/2015
LONGMEADOW – The Select Board unanimously voted to hire Mario Mazza, a deputy Department of Public Works (DPW) director in Springfield, as the town’s newest DPW director during its Aug. 17 meeting.
Town Manager Stephen Crane said he recommended Mazza from a group of three finalists because he was impressed by his “well-earned reputation” of past and present supervisors and by his financial background and business-minded approach.
“There are lots of people who have a strong background in operations, but not a strong background in finance,” Crane added. “That is something that set Mario apart.”
The initial pool of applicants for the position comprised six people, he noted.
Mazza said his top priority as DPW director would be a focus on safety.
“In Springfield I’m part of a committee that reviews accidents, whether they’re vehicle accidents or personal injury,” he added. “That committee really looks at costs and we look for ways to prevent them in the future. If that committee doesn’t already exist in Longmeadow, that’ll be one of my goals.”
He described himself as “data driven” and hopes to expand Longmeadow’s usage of Cartegraph, a public works and utilities software designed for maintaining transportation and water systems.
Crane said the town’s use of the software is in its infancy stage.
Mazza said he has been using Cartegraph for more than seven years in the Springfield DPW.
“I was on the team that actually interviewed the different vendors that came in and I was also on the presentation team so I’m one of the better users,” he added. “We use it in almost every division of DPW, so I’m hoping to get to Longmeadow and see how it’s being used and see if we can use some of things that have already been created in Springfield.”
Mazza said one fact he’s learned working for more than a decade in the Springfield DPW is “there’s never enough money” for all municipal projects.
“We have to get creative and try to solve those problems,” he added. “I am going to take a business approach.”
He shared one example of cost saving measures – awarding bids to local vendors as opposed to larger regional or national ones because typically local companies are “hungry” for work and offer less expensive prices.
Mazza said he’s a human resource (HR) officer for the Springfield DPW as well.
“Last year, we settled three of [the Springfield] DPW’s contracts,” he added. “In HR we do the hiring and firings, the promotions, [and] and the disciplining.”
Selectman Mark Gold asked Mazza how he would evaluate the work of the engineering department with a background in engineering.
“You’re right, that’s not my expertise,” Mazza responded. “To some degree, I’m going to rely on folks who have those expertise … I know a number of professional engineers who are happy to help give me another set of eyes.”
Gold also addressed morale within the DPW, which he said has declined during the past several years.
“I put a really strong emphasis on building relationships, so what I’m going to do in the first 60, 90 days is to spend as much time as I can out in the field and my hope is that I learn about the guys and their interests,” Mazza said.
He added he hopes to also learn why morale is down and if it were something fixable, he would make that change.
Mazza said his goal is to create a culture change, which would take time to develop.
He added many Springfield DPW workers often come to him with their problems because they consider him to be very forthright.
Crane said he believes the DPW has seen increased morale during the past several years.
Selectman Marie Angelides praised Mazza’s knowledge of Cartegraph and his financial background.
Selectman Alex Grant said he was “hesitant” to vote in favor of hiring Mazza because he lacked an operational background.
Mazza responded to Grant by stating that outside of working as an engineer, he has plowed snow and worked in the DPW garages.
Gold said he was initially very concerned by Mazza’s lack of an engineering background, but became convinced otherwise after speaking with him.
He encouraged Mazza to get “multiple perspectives” related to engineering opinions.
Grant echoed Gold’s thoughts, stating that he also became convinced during the meeting that Mazza is the man for the job.
Crane said Mazza is the brother of Thomas Mazza, the Longmeadow school district’s assistant superintendent for finance and operations.
The town reached out to the State Ethics Commission regarding this potential perception of conflict, which told the town the familial relationship between the two was not in conflict with the law, Crane said.
Mazza will begin work on Aug. 31.