With the retirement of budget chief Tom Sherwood, Mayor Joe Ganim has elevated veteran financial official Nestor Nkwo to serve as director of the Office of Policy and Management responsible for building the city budget. Nkwo has worked in the city budget office for more than two decades. OPM builds the spending side of the budget on behalf of the mayor that will be submitted to the City Council in April.
Ganim also named Janene Hawkins, pastor of Walters AME Zion Church, director of Labor Relations. Larry Osborne retired from the position last week. According to a news release issued by the mayor’s office Hawkins earned a law degree from Indiana University School of Law and served as a law clerk and employee relations specialist dealing with conflict resolution and employment negotiation. Hawkins will lead labor management contract negotiations with various bargaining units and oversee labor disputes and employee disciplinary issues.
“As I continue to fill the posts in my administration necessary to run the city of Bridgeport, I am looking for the best candidates to fill each position,” said Ganim in a statement. “I am so pleased to have a richly diverse and talented team of people each dedicated enough to building on Bridgeport’s strengths and improving our quality of life.”
Nkwo and Hawkins annual salaries are $124,110.
I have known Nestor for many years, have worked with him in the past and have confidence in him. He is a dedicated public official who will serve the city and its taxpayers well. A good choice.
Phil, I second that. He knows the position and he really is a dedicated, hard-working public official and a real nice person.
Smart decision going with Nestor. Excellent nuts and bolts person. He has seen the budget evolve over the years and understands it.
That is “high praise” coming from the likes of you three knowledgeable gentlemen. Perhaps we may get to a position where each person in the fiscal hierarchy will do their own duty and provide a description of what that mission is? If the Chief Financial Officer handles the Operating Budget revenue side and the OPM Director works the expense side of the operating budget, who reconciles the inflow, monitoring and reporting of grants from State and Federal on the City side as well as how Capital projects are funded, operated, completed and regularly reported on the City side at least? Are these funds commingled? And if so on what basis is the Charter “transfer” language observed? Time will tell.
*** Great choice Joe, in picking Nestor, solid employee and all-around good person! Don’t know this Hawkins person but let’s hope it improves the labor relations dept, which has been the focus of many labor disputes in the past and the staff working there. *** Let’s hope for the best at city hall, no? ***
Pastor Hawkins should do well. I also think she lives in Bridgeport. Maybe her first order of business will be to let the Council president go.
Testa’s baby boy will never go!
Never isn’t as long as it sounds.
I had worked years with Nestor. We always made each other laugh hard.
*** WAIT ‘TIL THE NEW MAYOR’S ADMIN. FINALLY GETS A FEEL FOR HOW THE FINCH ADMIN. ACTUALLY LEFT THE CITY’S FINANCIAL BUDGET SITUATION; THE MONEY SPENT, FUTURE BILLS AND DEBT STILL TO PAY AND THE ACTUAL $ AMOUNTS COMING IN? *** TAXES! ***
Congratulations Nestor on a well-deserved promotion.
Nestor knows the numbers in and out and will be a great asset to Mayor Ganim.
Always remember, stay true to yourself and everything will be fine.
Good luck, Nestor.
Ditto Nestor. I always hoped you would be chosen for that position. Smart, capable and a true professional.