WESTFIELD – At-large City Councilor David A. Flaherty used City Council rules to block a request from Mayor Daniel M. Knapik for immediate consideration of a reappointment of Karin Decker, the city’s acting personnel director, for a term of 60 days beginning on Nov.3.
The acting personnel director’s position terminates upon an appointment of a permanent personnel director. Knapik submitted Decker’s name later in his communication to the City Council for confirmation as the city’s permanent personnel director.
Ward 2 Councilor Ralph Figy, chairman of the Personnel Action Committee (PAC), said that he spoke with the Law Department to request an explanation of the reason Knapik was submitting immediate consideration of an appointment for the acting position.
“I was briefed by Legal (Department) that Karin Decker’s current term as acting director will expire prior to our next (Nov. 6) meeting,” Figy said.
Ward 3 Councilor Brian Hoose added that “as of Nov. 2 there will be no acting (personnel) director to supervise that department.”
Under City Council rules, an immediate consideration can be blocked by the objection of a single councilor. Flaherty exercised that right last night.
At-large Councilor Dan Allie asked Flaherty to retract that objection.
“This is just for 60 days,” Allie said. “We need to pick our battles. This is an important position (to leave unfilled).”
Flaherty said that he is objecting to the pattern of important decisions being submitted at the last moment under immediate consideration requests which, Flaherty has said in past objections, should be reserved for emergencies.
“The mayor knew this was coming up and could have submitted it earlier, at our last meeting,” Flaherty said. “Yet time after time we get these requests for immediate consideration.”
Figy then made a motion to send the acting appointment to the PAC, but withdrew that motion after At-large Councilor Brian Sullivan pointed out that later in the agenda Knapik was nominatng Decker for the permanent appointment.
“The motion to put it into committee means nothing just to come out in two weeks,” Sullivan said.
Knapik submitted Decker’s nomination for Council confirmation later in the agenda which was referred to the PAC by a 12-0 vote. Pac Chairman Figy later said the committee will interview Decker prior to the Nov. 6 council meeting and submit her name for confirmation, typically with either a positive or negative recommendation to the council, at that time.
In other business, the PAC requested the City Council vote to keep another of Knapik’s nominees in committee, with the intent to bring that candidate out at the Nov. 6 meeting for a confirmation vote.
Figy said the candidate for appointment to the Conservation Commission, Muneeb Mahmood of 54 Union Street, had resigned from the Off-street Parking Commission because of a work conflict. Figy said after that conflict was resolved Mahmood sought an appointment to another board of commission.
Knapik sent Mahmood’s name to the council for confirmation as a member of the Conservation Commission replacing George Martin, a long-time member of that board. Martin was a founding member of the Winding River Land Conservancy, and several other local and regional conservation organizations. Martin’s term on the commission expired in February and he was in a hold-over position.
Several council members have questioned the replacement of Martin, an acknowledged conservationist, with an inexperienced candidate for the Conservation Commission.
Figy said the PAC is planning to bring Mahmood’s nomination out for a confirmation vote, but requested that it be kept in committee while Martin seeks an explanation from Knapik concerning his removal from the commission.
The PAC did submit the nomination of Giapaolo Sesti of 21 Oak Terrace to replace Mahmood on the Off-street Parking Commission. Figy said that Sesti, a downtown business owner, will be a good fit for that board and has personal experience with downtown parking issues. Sesti was confirmed by a 12-0 vote.
