Jackie James Agreement Reached; Memo Warns Managers

As it settled a dispute with Jackie James, the Harp administration distributed a memo aimed at preventing future such episodes.

James until recently served as the city’s small-business chief. She got into a dispute with the administration over, among other issues, her testimony to the Board of Alders seeking the restoration of a staff position the administration itself had removed from the proposed city budget. The administration said that violated an administration directive that department heads should plead for staff in-house during the preparation of a proposed budget, then publicly support the final compromise proposal once it’s submitted to the board.

James’ supervisor, economic development chief Matthew Nemerson, began the process of seeking to terminate James for a variety of alleged offenses, including insubordination related to that incident. James, meanwhile, pursued complaints against Nemerson for alleged workplace harassment.

The administration and James then negotiated a settlement. City Corporation Counsel John Rose Jr. said this week that the two sides have reached the settlement: James will receive eight months’ severance pay as well as a lump sum equivalent to a year’s worth of health insurance, around $24,000 James agreed not to pursue complaints against the administration, he said. And she has resigned her position.

James did not return calls seeking comment for this story. In previous interviews she defended her actions. These stories offer more details about the case.

Nemerson said he has assigned city Small Business Development Officer Clayton Williams, Jr. to oversee James’ former office in the short term while also helping design new programs and a new direction for the city’s small-business program.

Meanwhile, Mayor Toni Harp distributed a two-page memo to ​“all city managers” about their ​“role.” In the memo, Harp wrote:

“The ship that is the City of New Haven has but one captain. As Mayor, I expect that you as a manager will support the decisions of my Administration, though they may be contrary to your personal opinions or thinking. Excessive negativity or opposition published in whatever manner or medium is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. Decisions by the Administration and directives addressed to you may well be based upon a much broader scale and/or upon consideration of issues unknown to you or not available to manager levels. Your role is to effectively implement the policies, directives and missions of my Administration. You must display and reflect support for the Administration’s policies and missions to staff, to the Board of Alders, outside contractors, consultants and agencies and to the public.”

Here’s the full memo.

Mayoral Chief of Staff Tomas Reyes said the administration had made the rules clear to managers in the past, orally. He said the point of the memo was to remind people in writing.