Harp Launches National Search For New CAO

Mayor-Elect Toni Harp has decided to hold off for now on hiring a new chief administrative officer, and has placed a convict-turned-businessman-turned-candidate in charge of her efforts to reintegrate former prisoners into society.

Harp, who takes office Wednesday as New Haven’s 50th mayor (and first female mayor), said Sunday she has decided to broaden the search for the CAO job rather than have someone in place on Jan. 1. She has asked the city’s deputy CAO, Jennifer Pugh, to do the job on an acting basis, overseeing front-line departments like police, fire, and public works. Rob Smuts, the current CAO, is leaving the position.

The search has provoked the first controversy Harp has faced since the election, as different supporters have pushed two local people for the job: former Assistant Police Chief Petisia Adger and current mayoral aide Rebecca Bombero. Adger had been the frontrunner for the job, which currently includes overseeing the police chief. After Dean Esserman became police chief instead two years ago, Adger and the other assistant chiefs put in for retirement at his request; Adger’s supporters demonstrated against him. That fact had some people worried that her appointment as CAO would create conflict with Esserman and his efforts to revive community policing; Harp has consistently praised Esserman’s performance and made clear her desire for him to continue in the job.

“They’re still in the running. I haven’t interviewed either of them yet for the job,” Harp said of Adger and Bombero. ​“I will probably take my time and make a decision and see if I can get some other people in the pool to think about.” She said Pugh has not sought the permanent position.

Meanwhile, Harp said that she has chosen Sundiata Keitazulu to serve as her prison reentry coordinator. Keitazulu ran a quixotic campaign for mayor this year. While he didn’t collect enough money or support to run until the end, he often dominated debates with his calls for more help for young jobless people, especially those coming out of prison. He discussed his own path from serving jail time for drug-dealing to starting a successful plumbing business. (Read about that here.) He dropped out of the race in August and endorsed Harp (pictured).

Harp said that she didn’t hire Keitazulu as a payback for that endorsement.

“He had been lobbying for the job after he endorsed me; he basically indicated that he was interested in doing reentry stuff. But he had started going to the meetings and doing all that. He had interesting ideas. It had nothing to do with the endorsement. He’s experienced in life. He can relate in a more real and tangible people with people who reenter society. He has done it in his own life very successfully,” Harp said.

The job has a 90-day probationary period as a matter of course, like other similar jobs, Harp said. It is funded by grants, so the Harp administration will need to raise money to keep the position filled in future years.

“I feel good about. The kids need jobs,” Keitazulu said Sunday. He said he plan to focus on getting young people into training programs, convincing employers to hire ex-cons, and making sure contractors conform to city local-hiring rules. ​“Our young people don’t have jobs. That’s what causes violence and crime in our city,” Keitazulu argued. ​“It’s hard to get a job when you’re coming out of prison. Who wants to hire you? But if you learn skills, you get a better chance.”

Harp also revealed Sunday that Erik Johnson, the current head of the Livable City Initiative (LCI), city government’s anti-blight agency, is the leading candidate to hold the position in her administration. She hasn’t yet made a final decision, she said. Johnson’s current term expires Feb. 1. The LCI director reports to the development administrator; Harp has hired former Chamber of Commerce President (and mayoral candidate) Matthew Nemerson for that position.

“I would gladly work with Mayor Harp to implement her vision for the city,” Johnson (pictured addressing Dwight Gardens tenants in November) said Sunday.

Harp said she believes she has convinced Karyn Gilvarg, the longtime City Plan director, to stay in the position rather than retire. Gilvarg couldn’t be reached for comment Sunday.

And Harp said she has hired Daryl Jones to serve as city controller. Harp said Jones grew up in New Haven and currently lives in town with his family while commuting to a job in the New York City office of the state comptroller.

She is reappointing Joe Clerkin to the other top city financial job, budget director. And she selected Jason Bartlett, her campaign manager, to run the city’s youth department.