Hamden Council Approves Mayor's Office Reorganization

The Legislative Council Monday approved Mayor Scott's Jackson's reorganization plan for his office that eliminates the switchboard position and merges the Grant Administrator's job into another.

The changes, Chief Administrative Officer Curt Leng told the council, saves $18,000 in the current fiscal year and $75,000 for a full fiscal year.

The responsibilities of the Grants Administrator's position will now become part of the Deputy Administration Officer's position and that job will get a $15,000 pay increase. The switchboard operator's job is currently vacant and is now eliminated all together.

When the former grants coordinator left the position to take one with the citiy of Meriden, Jackson started the process of reorganizing the office, Leng said.

"We have the opportunity to save and cover the functions," he said.

Council member Michael Colaiacovo Jr. said he wasn't comfortable with eliminating the Grants Coordinator position and the timing of the move.

"I'm not sold on eliminating a position that brings in so much money for the town of Hamden," he said. "It think it would be more appropriate to do it for next year during the budget process — why do it now? What's the rush?"

The town is dealing now with FEMA grants for the recent blizzard and needs someone to oversee that, Leng said, which is why it's important to approve the reorganization now rather than later.

"I think the reorganization plan speaks to the needs of the office and how it's run," said Councilman Al Gorman. "We do need a grant's coordinator for the millions of dollars the town gets in grants and we need a points person to go to, and this is on top of a myriad of other duties so I think the salary is called for."

"I support this — I think we need to support the mayor with what he wants to do with his office," said Councilman Harry Gagliardi. 

The Grants Administrator's position is seperate from the Grant Writer's position, so eliminating the administrator's position does not affect that aspect, he said.

Council President Judi Kozak said she agreed with Gagliardi.

"The mayor has a vision and we should help him out in that vision," she said.