A new city Personnel Director is expected to be announced Nov. 9, according to a news release issued Tuesday by Mayor Joe Ganim. The candidate application deadline has been extended to September 20. Executive search firm CPS HR Consulting has been retained by the city to facilitate the process. The Civil Service Commission is the appointing authority.
Eric Amado, who has a dual role as director of Labor Relations, is acting Personnel Director. He replaced David Dunn who also had the position in an acting role for more than a decade until his resignation about a year ago following his federal arrest for scheming with former Chief AJ Perez to rig the top cop test.
Once the the Personnel Director position is filled the new leader of the department will commence a national search for a police chief, according to the release.
News release:
The City of Bridgeport is making progress to fill interim department head positions with finalized selections and appointments. These appointments will include the Personnel Director, Police and Fire Chiefs and Public Facilities Director. Yesterday, Mayor Ganim swore in Ebony Jackson-Shaheed, to serve as the Director of Public Health and Social Services.
Ms. Jackson-Shaheed joined the city’s Health Department as part of the COVID Response team initiated on March 1st of this year. Ms. Jackson-Shaheed has brought extensive and valuable knowledge to the role as an Epidemiologist with an MPH and BA in Health Education from Montclair State University and SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.
Mayor Ganim stated, “Residents have already benefited from the impact of Director Jackson-Shaheed in a leadership role as we’ve all seen her tireless efforts amidst the pandemic. We look forward to the contributions of our Health Department with new, permanent leadership that will provide direct assistance along with innovative ways to promote the health and welfare of our community.”
“We are going through one of the greatest public health threats in our lifetime. As public health officials it is our job to protect and promote the optimal health and well-being of the community, and to actively address health equity through policy, programs, and improved social systems. It is not the strongest, most intelligent, or most powerful that manage to keep going in difficult circumstances, but the one most responsive to change,” stated Director Jackson-Shaheed. “Let’s all contribute in making the City of Bridgeport a healthier place.”
Ebony’s first charge in the Director’s role is to re-launch the COVID-19 Testing Campaign. Details on the Testing site to follow under separate release.
The application process and appointment schedule are in progress for the Personnel Director who will soon be announced on November 9th, 2021. Qualified candidates have until Monday September 20th to apply. The competitive selection process includes screenings along with an assessment of structural interviews. The City of Bridgeport retained CPS HR Consulting to provide professional services in retaining a Personnel Director through the merit based competitive process. CPS HR’s core competency is knowledge and expertise in the public sector; and has provided services for the State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services and the City of Danbury.
Upon the announcement of a new Personnel Director, city administration will commence the national search for the city’s Police Chief with the Fire Chief and Public Facilities Director to follow.
Both the Police Chief and Fire Chief will require the professional services of a contracted outside agency. Qualified candidates for the police and fire departments will participate in a strategic assessment process. During the process for the Chief positions, there will be an opportunity for public input on both of these important leadership roles that are critical to the safety of our city and its residents.
Why was this executive search firm CPS HR Consulting has been retained by the city to facilitate the process chosen, what is their ability to hire candidates from a city like Bridgeport, CT with the population and the racial makeup like Bridgeport and what is cost of their service?
Was David Dunn the City Personnel Director? Or was he Acting Director of ??? for much longer than any “professional in employment administrative practice” knowingly should have been? Why did he escape testing or reminders from his supervisor in municipal governance that his “acting” career needed to end and become permanent. Did he have “exam anxiety” like Chief Perez?
I am a bit confused about City employees who have a hand in personnel and employment administration. So I looked at the latest City of Bridgeport Table of Organization from the latest Comprehensive Annual Financial Review (2020) and realized that we have no personnel department. Curious? We have a Labor Relations Department. We also have a Civil Service Department (and Commission). Each of these Departments report through the City CAO to the Mayor’s office. Where is the Personnel Department in the Table?
Currently Eric Amado is responsible for two or more employment related Departments. Can someone explain the purposes and responsibilities of these areas. Is there anything unusual in the manner that Bridgeport governs, administers to or manages employees that may be important in this hiring? Time will tell.