FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 11, 2012
Contact: Mike Kanarick
                802.735.7962

Mayor Miro Weinberger Announces Appointments for FY13

Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger today announced mayoral appointments for FY13. 

Please see the following memorandum, “Mayoral Appointments for FY13,” for a detailed list.

MEMORANDUM

TO:                        Burlington City Council
FROM:                  Mayor Miro Weinberger
DATE:                    June 11, 2012
RE:                         Mayoral Appointments for FY13

This is a time of considerable change in city government.  In addition to an entirely new Mayor’s Office, FY13 will see a new CAO and City Attorney, as well as new directors at CEDO, Parks and Recreation, the Airport, and the Library.  These leadership changes will be balanced by continuity and stability in our other city departments.

Pursuant to Section 122 of the City Charter, I submit for your consideration and confirmation at your June 18, 2012 meeting my FY13 mayoral appointments and reappointments. 

Appointments
The following team of individuals recommended here for reappointment have performed their duties responsibly, served the City well, and each warrants reappointment.  I am confident that the following city officials will continue to ably serve our City and, therefore, recommend them for reappointment for a term of one year:

• Ron Redmond                                  Church Street Marketplace Executive Director
• Doreen Kraft                                     City Arts Director
• Barbara L. Grimes                            Burlington Electric Department General Manager
• Seth Lasker                                        Burlington Fire Department Chief & Emergency Management/Civil Defense Director
• Michael E. Schirling                          Burlington Police Department Chief
• Steven Goodkind                              Department of Public Works Director & City Engineer and Surveyor
• Gordon H. Gilbert                            Second Constable
   

The retirement of Deputy Chief Walt Decker from the BPD has created a vacancy in the position of Pound Keeper.  I recommend the following individual for appointment for a term of one year:

• Andi L. Higbee                                  Pound Keeper (new appointment)

Interim Reappointment
In my March 31, 2012 memorandum to you in which I sought the interim CAO appointment of Paul R. Sisson, I promised that “I will return to you before June 30^th to seek either an extension of this interim appointment or a permanent CAO appointment.”  As you know, we are in the midst of a national search for a permanent CAO and, therefore, for the sake of continuity, I respectfully request that you extend Paul’s interim CAO appointment until September 30, 2012 or earlier if a permanent CAO is in place before that date.  In the event we have not yet appointed a permanent CAO by September 30, 2012, I again will return to you to seek an extension of this interim appointment.

• Paul R. Sisson                                    Interim Chief Administrative Officer

The following information regarding the status of other mayoral appointees does not require action by the City Council at the present time and is being provided for your convenience.
 

Continuing Two-Year Appointments
The following individuals were appointed by my predecessor mayor for a term of two years pursuant to Section 122 of the City Charter and have one year remaining on their terms:

• John Vickery                                     City Assessor
• Susan Leonard                                 Human Resources Director

Continuing to Serve Until Successors Appointed
Pursuant to Section 122 of the City Charter, the current term of mayoral appointees “shall continue until their successors have been appointed and qualified.”  Based on this provision, the following individuals will continue to serve in their positions until I conclude my searches for and appoint their successors and the City Council confirms those appointments:

• Kenneth A. Schatz                           City Attorney
• Larry Kupferman                             Community & Economic Development Director
• Robert McEwing                              Interim Burlington International Airport Aviation Director
• Robert Coleburn                              Fletcher Free Library Co-Director
• Robert Resnik                                   Fletcher Free Library Co-Director
• Mari Steinbach                                 Burlington Parks and Recreation Director, Cemetery Department Superintendent, & Harbor Master

Ken Schatz, Larry Kupferman, and Robert McEwing will continue to serve until their successors have been appointed.  Regarding the Fletcher Free Library (FFL), Co-Director Amber Collins is retiring at the end of this month.  The FFL board has recommended, and I agree, that the library will best be served by a single director.  We have been working with the FFL board on a new job description and search process.  After careful consideration and broad consultation, I have decided to take the future of Parks and Recreation in a new direction.  Mari Steinbach has graciously agreed to continue to serve until her successor is appointed.

Assistant City Attorneys
In an effort to allow a new City Attorney latitude to evaluate and shape the City Attorney’s Office and advise me, there will be no reappointments of the assistant city attorneys at this time.  Pursuant to the City Charter, they will continue to serve in their current positions until future appointment/reappointment action is taken.

• Eugene Bergman                             Senior Assistant City Attorney, City Grand Juror, & City Constable
• Nikki Fuller                                        Assistant City Attorney & Assistant Grand Juror
• Richard Haesler, Jr.                          Assistant City Attorney & Assistant Grand Juror
• Gregg Meyer                                     Assistant City Attorney & Assistant Grand Juror
• Kimberlee J. Sturtevant                   Assistant City Attorney & Assistant Grand Juror

# # #