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Date: 9/26/2023
SPRINGFIELD — After 16 years, Chief Administrative and Financial Officer TJ Plante has stepped down from his position and will be moving on to the private sector.
On Sept. 18, Mayor Domenic Sarno announced Plante’s departure. His last day with the city was Sept. 22.
“Serving as the CAFO for Mayor Sarno, Plante has advanced and implemented numerous successful fiscal management policies and initiatives for Mayor Sarno that have been beneficial and sustainable for the city of Springfield’s fiscal budget and financial health and operations,” said Sarno’s office.
Plante was originally hired in 2007 as the budget director under the state imposed Financial Control Board that was appointed by former Gov. Mitt Romney. During this time, Springfield was on the brink of bankruptcy, facing a $41 million deficit and junk bond status.
“As part of the state legislation that returned the city of Springfield to home rule, the position of CAFO was created to oversee all aspects of municipal financial matters and report directly to the mayor,” Sarno’s office explained.
In 2012, Plante, who had been serving as finance director at the time, was named acting CAFO and was later selected as the CAFO by Sarno and the CAFO Search Committee. Plante took over this role from Lee Erdmann, who was tapped as the first official CAFO in 2010, replacing Financial Control Board Executive Director Stephen Lisauskas, who had been serving as the acting CAFO.
According to the Mayor’s Office, “Plante served as an integral part of the Sarno administration throughout his career with the city of Springfield.”
Some of Plante’s notable highlights and accomplishments during his tenure as CAFO include bringing Springfield back from the brink of financial collapse, to having a “significant and healthy stabilization reserve account of over $68 million and the highest bond rating in the city’s history at AA- bond rating from Standard and Poor’s,” said Sarno’s office.
Plante streamlined municipal procurement procedures, he oversaw integration efforts to improve the city’s core accounting functions such as general ledger, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, contract management, tracking and more.
Plante went through nine consecutive balanced fiscal year budgets without the use of reserves, with the most recent fiscal year 2024 budget being $878 million.
He oversaw all aspects of municipal finances and emergency budgeting, tracking and record keeping for city records, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency, through a number of natural and man-made disasters such as the 2011 tornado. During that time, Plante took advantage of FEMA programs to reallocate recovery funds to advance certain eligible projects which resulted in the city only paying 13% of a $97 million rebuilding effort.
Other disasters included the October 2011 nor’easter, the 2012 gas explosion and more recently, the coronavirus pandemic. Plante worked with Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan to oversee Springfield’s budgeting of the $123 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding for COVID-19 recovery and reinvestment aspects.
Per Sarno’s direction, Plante implemented tax relief measures for residents, and also worked with City Councilors Tim Allen and Michael Fenton to boost the Springfield Pension Reserve Fund and oversee innovative investment strategies of the city’s certified free cash.
Sarno said, “Bittersweet, TJ Plante aka ‘Mr. Scotch’, has been one of my most dedicated and trusted cabinet heads. His time as part of my administration was invaluable, as he spearheaded the financial aspects for a number of my administration’s initiatives and programs. From making sure that our city had a balanced budget without the use of reserves for [nine] consecutive years, to overseeing the various finances for our city projects, TJ epitomized a true public servant.”
Sarno continued, “He truly played an integral role in my administration’s efforts bringing our Springfield back from the brink of bankruptcy and helping to navigate the financial aspects during the various natural and man-made disasters, to the resurgence and renaissance we are now experiencing. On behalf of the city of Springfield, and from myself personally, thank you for your service to our Springfield community. We wish you continued success as you move on to this career opportunity.”
Plante shared his honor of serving the city of Springfield for more than 16 years. “Although I am exiting public service, my wife Katie and I are committed to the city and want to see Springfield thrive.”
Plante thanked Sarno for his support and leadership over the years, but more specifically, for his friendship. “Together we have been through some challenging times, but always came out stronger from them,” Plante said.
He told Reminder Publishing that this has been a dream job.
“When I started, I never thought [I would] be here as long as I have been,” Plante said.
He added, “[It has been a] tremendous opportunity to serve the city of Springfield.”
Plante shared that he will be going into municipal and school finance consulting with a company called Open Architects, run by Seth Racine, the former finance director of Springfield with whom Plante used to work.
Plante went on to say that he hopes the people know the city is in better shape than when he found it and is hopeful that it continues to move forward.
On Sept. 19, Sarno announced his appointments to the CAFO Screening Committee.
Per Massachusetts General Law, the CAFO Screening Committee must consist of seven members, including one appointment each from the School Committee, City Council and State Secretary of Administration and Finance. 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.
The screening 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 screening committee to serve as the new CAFO. According to his office, if Sarno does not find a candidate qualified, he will direct the screening 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.
Additionally, Sarno has named Deputy Comptroller Joanne Raleigh to serve as acting comptroller.
“I want to thank my appointments to the CAFO Screening Committee for agreeing to serve on this very important committee,” said Sarno. “These dedicated individuals and public servants bring a wealth of administration, finance and management experience and knowledge, and will without a doubt work diligently with the appointments from the City Council, School Committee and Secretary of [Administration and Finance] Matt Gorzkowicz as we work together to select our city’s new CAFO. Until such time, I have the full confidence in acting CAFO Patrick Burns abilities to do the job. I also have the utmost confidence in Joanne Raleigh’s abilities as she steps up as acting comptroller”.
Plante agreed with Sarno’s decision and said Burns is the “perfect” choice based on his credentials, resume and connections. For Burns or anyone who permanently takes on this role, Plante’s advice is to make sure the city continues on the straight arrow, making sure the City Council, School Committee and mayor are well advised.
Burns said, “I would like to thank the mayor for giving me the opportunity to bridge the gap until a permanent [CAFO] is appointed. Also, I want to thank TJ Plante for his leadership and support during his tenure as CAFO, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
On Sept. 19 — immediately following Sarno’s announcement — Lederman shared that he would appoint Springfield City Council Vice President Melvin Edwards to represent the City Council on the CAFO Screening Committee.
“I express my best wishes to CAFO Plante as he transitions to the private sector and thank him on behalf of the City Council for his service to the city of Springfield. As we move forward with the selection process of the next CAFO, City Councilor Melvin Edwards will bring unique and valuable insight to the screening committee as one of the City Council’s longest serving members, and as a councilor who was first elected as the city emerged from financial receivership,” Lederman said.
Edwards is a seven-term City Council member, first elected to represent Ward 3 in 2009. He has served as City Council vice president since 2022, and also serves as chair of the Economic Development Committee and the Responsible Employer Ordinance Committee.
“While often working behind the scenes, the CAFO is one of the most important positions in city government to ensure that we are able to deliver core services and investments for the future to the people of Springfield,” Edwards said. “I look forward to a thorough process to identify the best candidate possible to work closely with the City Council, the mayor, and in the interest of the public.”