Markeshia Ricks Photo
Sean Matteson with Newhallville Alder Dephine Clyburn after she and colleagues voted down his appointment.
Mayor Toni Harp’s chief administrative officer (CAO) has decided not to be a permanent “acting” boss.
The CAO, Sean Matteson, the top City Hall manager in charge of line departments like police and fire and public works, has handed in his resignation. He agreed to keep working through the end of April.
Matteson said he is leaving because the Board of Alders back in October voted not to confirm Harp’s appointment of him. A 2013 city charter revision allows alders to vote down a mayor’s nominees to top positions.
Matteson has continued working in an “acting” capacity since the vote. His 180-day reappointment as “acting” CAO, which began Sept. 24, has now run out, he noted.
Paul Bass Photo
Matteson greets Chief Anthony Campbell at Campbell’s retirement gathering Friday at 1 Union Ave.
Some officials continue serving in perpetually reappointed “acting” capacity” for years on end. Matteson said he didn’t want to be one of those officials.
His 180-day reappointment as “acting” CAO has run out since the alders vote.
“I love the city,” said Matteson, a former chief of staff in the DeStefano administration whom Harp lured back to City Hall with the hope of establishing a sense of order and direction.
“It’s a hard thing to do,” he said about resigning. “It’s the right thing to do. I want to be compliant with the law.”
Harp discussed Matteson’s resignation on her latest appearance on WNHH FM’s “Mayor Monday” program.
“He submitted his resignation. We are posting the position for two weeks. He is staying until the end of April,” Harp said. “We didn’t want the board to say that we’re not abiding by the law. … They affirmatively voted him down.”
Harp said Matteson has done “a phenomenal job.” She said she has discussed with him the possibility of seeking another Board of Alders confirmation vote. But “if we bring it back and once again, it’s voted down by the Board of Alders, that can hurt his career moving forward. That’s one of the things he has to take into consideration.”
Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers told the Independent that the Harp administration has not submitted a request for another vote.
“I haven’t had a conversation with Sean yet, which I plan to,” Walker-Myers said.
She credited Matteson with “doing a good job of communication with the board” in his six months in the acting CAO position. “He hasn’t been here that long. He jumped into the role trying to figure it out. This wasn’t the role he was in before. It’s new.”
Alders had pressed the Harp administration to rein in police and fire overtime, a challenge Matteson has been engaged in as the top administration official in charge of public safety departments. “They made some changes in the beginning to help with the overtime,” Walker-Myers said. She noted that the city still faces “a lot of variables” such as short staffing, and weeks with crime spikes or special events requiring overtime.
Police Chief Process
New Acting Chief Otoniel Reyes with Anthony Campbell at Friday’s gathering.
Also on “Mayor Monday,” Harp said she is keeping the Matteson rejection vote in mind as she plans the selection process for a new police chief.
Chief Anthony Campbell retired on Friday. Harp has named Otoniel Reyes to serve as acting chief. The position pays $162,000 a year.
Unlike the last time she chose a chief, Harp said, she is not looking nationwide or even outside the department. She said she anticipates hiring either a current or a former New Haven cops.
“Our police force and the way that we police— our attitude toward the community in New Haven is different from almost any other community in America. To get someone from the outside [to train] would be very difficult,” she said. She added that beat cops should be able to see that they have a chance one day to ascend to the department’s top post.
Harp said she aims to hire a permanent new chief by July 1. She said Reyes is among those in the running.
She does plan to appoint a committee to conduct interviews and present her with three finalists, she said. And she plans to ask board President walker-Myers to appoint an alder to that committee.
The Board of Alders must ultimately vote to confirm Harp’s choice for chief.
“They did say to us that we did not go through a process for Mr. Matteson,” Harp said. “So we will go through a process.”
Click on the video below to watch the full episode of “Mayor Monday” on WNHH FM:
WNHH’s “Mayor Monday” is made possible with the support of Gateway Community College and Berchem Moses P.C.
I find the whole process on nominating key city employees through a mayoral appointment a bit draconian.
Does the applicant or selectee go through a vetting process?
How does the mayor choose someone for consideration?
Is there an application process to open up the position to officers that might want to apply?
People who are considered, are they people who personally know the mayor, and are they the mayor's friend?
What can be done to remove a conflict of interest, to prevent nepotism?
How are an applicant's credentials and experience taken into consideration?
I think there also should be a public hearing scheduled at least 2 weeks in advance, so the people of New Haven can make comments on an applicant's character during the Aldermanic confirmation, with the mayor having to make a mandatory appearance.
Simple changes in public policy can make all the difference.
Take care and be well,
Urn Pendragon, mayoral candidate