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Search progressing for personnel, economic development directors

NORWALK, Conn. – The job descriptions and qualifications for two key city positions are online, and four people have already been interviewed for one of the openings.

The posted positions are for a director of personnel and labor relations – James Haselkamp’s old job – and a director of economic development to replace Tad Diesel. Mayor Harry Rilling said Thursday night the city has interviewed two men and two women for Haselkamp’s old job.

The personnel job is listed at a salary range of $111,953 to $153,199, while the economic development position offers $80,000 to $90,000 a year. The economic development position “preferred” education and/or work experience includes a master’s degree “in urban planning, urban policy, economic development, community development, finance, business or other relevant field,” plus five years experience.

The personnel position requires a bachelor’s degree in “personnel and industrial relations, public administration, business administration or some closely related field and five years of progressively responsible experience in personnel administration or labor relations with two years of experience in public personnel administration. A master’s degree in business or public administration may be substituted for two years of the aforementioned practical work experience; or, any equivalent combination of training and experience.

To see the entire personnel director’s job description, click here.

For the economic development director description, click here: Job Description for economic developer

Comments

10 responses to “Search progressing for personnel, economic development directors”

  1. loveforthecity

    These are two jobs could have easily been given to former Mayoral Candidate Vinny Mangiacopra.

    The guy is qualified to do either. Frankly he deserves the higher paying job and could do well working in the Personnel department for years to come.

    Patiently waiting.

  2. Piberman

    Norwalk hasn’t been known in recent decades for the quality of its administrators. Rarely are they competed away for more demanding positions. Once hired they stay for life. By avoiding the hire of professional search firms Mayor Rilling ensures continued mediocrity in City government. Real professionals respond to search firm ads knowing their replies held confidential. Others respond to newspaper ads.
    Mayor Rilling can only be as effective as his team. So far his initiatives are not encouraging.

  3. LWitherspoon

    Meanwhile nobody cares to ask or explain how it could be that Haselkamp was deemed unfit to continue in Norwalk, yet he was immediately hired by Trumbull to do the same job.

  4. Taxpayer Fatigue

    Well, I seem to recall the Hour reporting that he had thrown a table at a union employee who called him a liar. He should have been fired for that alone. Personnel Directors should never lose their cool, which he often did by all accounts. No one cares or asks because they are glad he is gone from Norwalk. Maybe it’s the fact that he didn’t require performance reviews be done on city employees while he was personnel director – he discouraged them. Or, maybe its that he constantly pushed and got raises for city employees throughout the five year recession. He only started pushing back on the unions when the citizens and the council finally got fed up with all the giveaway contracts that were done by the lousy lawyers he used to hire. Good luck in Trumball and good riddance!

    1. Mark Chapman

      @Taxpayer Fatigue

      The likeliest reason for Mr. Haselkamp’s quick resurface in Trumbull is the close relationship between ex-Mayor Moccia and Trumbull First Selectman Timothy M. Herbst.

      And, FYI, we first reported Mr. Haselkamp’s angry outburst. And the affirmative action complaint. We also reported on Mr. Haselkamp’s angry outburst that included publicly smashing a union sign with a golf club while he was working for Stamford, an act that help lead to his move to Norwalk.

  5. the donut hole

    Confusing Vinny’s run at mayor as somehow qualifying for either of these positions is resume padding like I have never seen. What amounts to a failed internship for a few months in Monroe barely would qualify him to do this job on a volunteer basis. If he were so skilled and so valuable an employee, he’d already be working a much higher paying job in the private sector. Harry would regret doing either for the rest of his service as Mayor. Hopefully he realizes who runs the show and this young man figures out that he isn’t entitled to the job just because he is a political figure. We need real administrators with real experience and a proven track record. Not unaccomplished egomaniacs.

  6. Piberman

    Mark Chapman

    Last time I looked the BET had to approve union contracts with city employees. Is there any evidence that our former personnel director was a major voice in negotiating the most generous City contracts in the state ? Or played a major role in hiring city Dept heads and Administrators. Did the Council ever deny his annual salary raises ? Judging Mr Haselkamp’s competence in public is reprehensible. Especially when NON asks readers to be “nice”.

    1. Mark Chapman

      @PIBERMAN

      Why Peter, you post yet another attack on the mayor because of what you expect him to do, then call into question the propriety of someone else’s post regarding his beliefs about the performances of a past employee? You might forget, there is a different level of scrutiny and tolerance for paid city officials (and token-paid elected official) vs. volunteers, and yet another for citizens making public comments. And if your intent was to suggest we should not report the news — that is, Ms. Haselkamp’s history — then you’ve confused us for another local website.

  7. piberman

    Mark Chapman:

    No having having detailed knowledge of the said individuals job description, prior work evaluation and the requirements of a personnel director in similar CT cities may I suggest that neither you nor I ought to speculate on his performance publicly. Clearly City officials, until very recently, found said individuals performance more than acceptable. Witness the annual raises. Mayor Rilling commendably has not commented on said individuals leave for another position. What possible benefit can be obtained by publishing uninformed comments on a City employee’s performance ? It hardly enhances NON’s mission.

    1. Mark Chapman

      @piberman

      WE did not comment on Mr. Haselkamp’s performance, a commentor did. It was his opinion, and, as you certainly realize, everyone is entitled to theirs. Some people question why some department heads have not been changed yet without knowing their contract status or other legal hurdles. Might that not be a similar situation? We commented on the man’s behavior as at least a contributing factor to his departure. That was all quite public and is a matter of fact.

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