Dennis Murphy, former chief administrative officer for the city, has been appointed deputy commissioner of the Department of Labor by Governor Dannel Malloy.
Murphy is the spouse of John Stafstrom, former Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee chairman, an early supporter of Malloy’s run for governor. Murphy has tons of experience negotiating union contracts, a key task of Malloy’s efforts to close a projected budget shortfall of more than $3 billion. Murphy was appointed director of Labor Relations for the city in the early days of Joe Ganim’s administration.
In 1992 Murphy and Ganim secured key concessions from municipal unions as they stared down a budget shortfall in the millions after the city had been placed into federal bankruptcy court by Mayor Mary Moran in June of 1991. Ganim and Murphy leveraged the bankruptcy withdrawal to achieve concessions. This set the stage for Governor Lowell Weicker, who challenged Moran’s bankruptcy petition in court, to assist the city’s financial comeback.
Ganim named Murphy chief administrative officer in 1994 supervising city department heads. Malloy, as mayor of Stamford, appointed Murphy head of Human Resources in 2004. Murphy was part of a Bridgeport department head team that helped Ganim achieve 10 straight balanced budgets without a tax increase. When Ganim became mayor the city was under the thumb of a state-authorized financial review board created following Mayor Tom Bucci’s declaration in 1988 that the city was broke and needed a bailout. The state imposed the review board on the city with a primary purpose to make sure city budgets were in balance. The review board was dissolved in 1995 once it was satisfied the city had regained financial footing by meeting review board standards.
From Malloy:
GOVERNOR MALLOY SELECTS GLENN MARSHALL TO LEAD DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Dennis Murphy Appointed Agency’s Deputy Commissioner
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today tapped Glenn Marshall to serve as the new commissioner of the Department of Labor, and has chosen Dennis Murphy as the agency’s new deputy commissioner.
Marshall, of Milford, is currently the president of Carpenters Union Local 210, where he led advocacy efforts on behalf of a construction labor force, including working closely on state legislative and administrative matters that impact the construction industry and the economy of Connecticut. In this position, he gained recognized respect as a leader who has worked well with both organized labor and Connecticut businesses.
Murphy, of Bridgeport, is a Neutral Labor Arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association, FINRA and the ADR Center, Inc. He previously served as the Director of Human Resources for the City of Stamford from 2004-2008, and was the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Bridgeport from 1994-2002.
“In order to run the Labor Department, it is important to have someone who can work effectively as a consensus builder,” Governor Malloy said. “I strongly reject the premise that you have to be either pro-labor or pro-business – you have to be both. There is no doubt that in these tough economic times we need to have a responsible approach to decision making and an ability to work with broad-based coalitions. Glenn and Dennis – both of whom I have known for years – will take their respective experiences and put them to work at the Department of Labor, finding new and unique ways to ensure our state’s labor force is protected, and our state’s business community thrives.”
“This is a tremendous honor and I’d like to thank Governor Malloy for this opportunity,” said Marshall. “I’ve respected Governor Malloy for speaking frankly and honestly about the unique ways in which we need to get the labor and business communities around the same table on behalf of the people of Connecticut. That will be my guiding principle as I begin this next phase in my career.”
“Having worked with Governor Malloy while he was the Mayor of Stamford, I’m looking forward to working with him once again,” said Murphy. “In this economy, we can’t afford to label ourselves pro-labor or pro-business. Governor Malloy expects all of us to be pro-Connecticut, and to find ways to create new jobs and get people back to work. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Once again, the Governor has appointed wisely and well.
Good call by the Governor in appointing Dennis Murphy.
Dennis Murphy was a good choice. Plenty of experience and fair.
Why is everyone sucking up to Murphy? The Deputy labor Commissioner has no real power.
TC bashes the games that were played with the Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course Contracts and the Murphy-Stafstrom fingerprints were all over those deals. Plenty of experience, yes. Fair???
Who says Fairfield is without its own political hanky panky?
From the CT Post:
Fairfield RTM members angered that registrar’s mother had fines reduced
Some Fairfield Representative Town Meeting members were displeased to learn that more than $100,000 in blight fines imposed on a Dalewood Avenue property — owned by the mother of the Democratic registrar of voters — has been reduced to $16,000.
Adding to the RTM members’ criticism is the fact that the $16,000 in reduced fines also have not been paid.
“To reduce it by five times the amount of the fine and not get the payment at that time” is unbelievable, said Peter Ambrose, R-2. The home at 26 Dalewood Ave. is owned by Michelle Waggner. Her son, who also lives there, is Democratic Registrar of Voters Matt Waggner.
Thanks, Grin. Was going to reply earlier but I couldn’t find my old handle anyplace. Lost your cell, and your home # just rings and rings.
I’m sure not happy about the article, especially since a) my dear mum had done all the repairs they asked for more than five years ago (when I was still living in California), b) she got the town to recognize that and reduce the fines back in 2009 (when I was not the Registrar), and c) contrary to the version you quoted, I actually don’t live there. Talked with the paper today, and managed to get hold of a couple pros that were willing to see it reported a bit more thoroughly before committing it to print. I appreciate you preserving it for the record here, though.
Loyal, hardworking, smart, innovative, effective–great appointment of Dennis Murphy. He and Glenn Marshall will make an excellent team. Glenn is also terrific!!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!!
The state’s gain is Bridgeport’s loss. Finch should have given Murphy a cabinet-level position either CAO or Labor Director. Instead he has those idiots Osborne and Nunn. Murphy would have brought an air of professionalism and fairness that this administration is so sorely lacking. Good decision by Governor Malloy.
*** Whether a good or bad selection it’s still a job! Just a matter of opinion whom you ask, no? *** The big payback. ***
With all the union givebacks, oh, I mean share sacrifice; Dennis and Glen make the perfect good cop, bad cop team. Two GREAT picks by Dannel.