Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 12/5/2023
SPRINGFIELD — The Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Search Committee hosted its first meeting on Nov. 28 to introduce and swear in members, as well as to go over the requirements and hiring timeline.
Per Massachusetts General Law, the CAFO Search Committee must consist of seven members, including one appointment each from the School Committee, City Council and State Secretary of Administration and Finance. Mayor Domenic Sarno appointed four other members to the committee, two of which are experts in municipal management.
The four mayoral appointees, all of which live in Springfield, are retired Board of Assessor member Margaret Lynch, Park Commissioner and retired Hampden County Sheriff’s Department Chief Financial Officer William Christofori, New North Citizens Council Chief Operating Officer Jose Claudio and Springfield Retirement Board member and retired Director of Diversity and Employee Relations for the state of Connecticut Haskell Kennedy.
City Council President Jesse Lederman selected City Council Vice President Melvin Edwards to serve on the committee and the School Committee selected member Chris Collins to serve.
Executive Office for Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz selected Financial Management Resources Bureau Chief Zack Blake to serve.
Sarno said, “This is a very, very important selection.”
He shared that he is honored to have all the members serving on the board and thanked everyone for their time and efforts.
Sarno recognized former CAFO TJ Plante who stepped down after 16 years due to an opportunity to go into the private sector.
Following the introductions, each member was sworn in by City Clerk Gladys Oyola-Lopez.
Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations William Mahoney explained that his and his team’s — Assistant Human Resource Director Caitlyn Julius and Human Resources Personnel Analyst Chloe Meunier — job is to support the search committee in their work.
Mahoney noted that he has gone through this process before, as have Collins and Chief of Staff Tom Ashe.
Based on his experience, Mahoney created a packet and agenda for the first meeting, which included appointing a committee chair. A motion was made to appoint Kennedy as committee chair, which was unanimously approved.
The search committee can recommend a minimum of two and maximum of five candidates to the mayor. Sarno will select one of the candidates recommended by the search committee to serve as the new CAFO. If Sarno does not find a candidate qualified, he will direct the committee to reopen the search.
During this transition, Sarno has selected City Comptroller Patrick Burns as the acting CAFO. Burns will work closely with Deputy CAFO Lindsay Hackett to ensure the city’s “strong” and “prudent” financial discipline continues, said the Mayor’s Office.
Additionally, Sarno has named Deputy Comptroller Joanne Raleigh to serve as acting comptroller.
Attorney Kathy Breck went through the Open Meeting Law and requirements with the committee, and Mahoney explained that they put together a position profile for potential candidates to view.
He went on to say that the advertising plan will likely be posted on LinkedIn and other hiring websites. It will go up on Dec. 1 and will be taken down on Jan. 7, 2024.
After applications are received, Mahoney said the committee will reconvene to review and discuss who will be brought in for interviews, followed by the actual interviews and recommendations to the mayor.
Mahoney said they are hoping to complete this process in three meetings.