Thomas Breen file photo
Mike Gormany: Working on the weekends to help new city budget director transition into the role.
The Elicker administration has contracted with the city’s former budget director to help the city’s new budget director transition into her role, with an indefinite agreement that pays $55 an hour for up to 19 hours a week.
That’s according to the city’s Aug. 9 weekly personnel report.
The report states that Michael Gormany, who retired from his city post in April in order to take a new job as West Haven’s finance director, is now working as a “part time professional” in New Haven’s Office of Policy, Management, & Grants, under a Special Fund appointment.
Gormany will be paid $55 an hour for no more than 19 hours a week for his New Haven contracted role, which officially began on July 7.
Mayor Justin Elicker stated upon Gormany’s retirement in April that he would continue in a part-time capacity while the city searched for a permanent replacement. He’d also be on hand to help with the close out of the Fiscal Year 2023 – 24 (FY24) budget and the adoption of the FY25 budget, the latter of which took effect on July 1.
Meanwhile, on Aug. 6, the mayor announced that the city has found and hired a new permanent city budget director, Shannon McCue.
So why continue to contract with Gormany, now that a new city budget director has been hired?
“Michael will be helping out indefinitely as Shannon gets up to speed,” Elicker told the Independent. “It will be particularly important through budget season. There is a lot to learn and he has a lot of institutional knowledge.”
City spokesperson Lenny Speiller added that Gormany will be serving “in a general advisory and consultatory capacity” for the city’s new budget director. He also stated that Gormany’s contract has no specific end date.
In a separate comment provided to the Independent, Gormany said that this latest contract “formalized the same terms and work that I have been doing since the city announced my retirement in April.”
Although the contract allows for work of up to 19 hours per week, he said he’s actually been working closer to 8 to 10 hours per week, mostly on the weekends. Gormany said that all of his City of New Haven contracted work “will be done in my spare time outside of my normal work hours for West Haven or on the weekends.”
As for the contents of his work under this indefinite New Haven contract, Gormany said, “By and large, the work involves answering any questions or assisting with any reports that are needed by the Finance Department, Budget Office or Mayor’s Office. Budget Director McCue has been working diligently since she started in July with the City of New Haven and has been getting up to speed very quickly.”