Ward says he hasn't decided about an assistant

In the wake of the public's refusal to create a chief operating officer for City Hall, Mayor Art Ward said Wednesday he’s not sure whether he will ask the City Council to allow him to hire an assistant.

“That’s something I’m going to be evaluating in the next several months,” Ward said.

He said he has meetings scheduled soon with state development officials about the mall property and a few other issues. The result of those talks may determine which direction the mayor will go, he said.

Ward said he may decide soon, but he won’t be asking the council for the position at next week’s meeting.

Insiders said he’s considering hiring former city attorney Ed Krawiecki, Jr, who has experience dealing with the state Department of Economic and Community Development. But Ward said he hasn’t even decided if he wants to have the position.

There’s a chance, too, that the council may create an assistant for itself.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Suchopar to stay as Mayor Ward's secretary

Mayor-elect Art Ward said Wednesday he plans no big changes in the mayor’s office.
Ward said he asked Mary Suchopar, Mayor William Stortz’s secretary, to stay on in the position.
“She’s always been professional and courteous,” Ward said. “I think she’s represented the office in a very professional manner.”
Ward said he has no intention of hiring another aide, at least initially, to help him cope with the rising workload in the mayor’s office.
Democratic Mayor Gerard Couture, whom Stortz knocked out of office in 2005, pushed successfully to create a part-time mayoral assistant who could help with budget and policy issues. But the $25,000-a-year post vanished when Stortz took office.
City Comptroller Glenn Klocko said that the mayoral aide’s position is no longer part of the city budget so if Ward or any other mayor wanted to have an aide, he would have to create it.
Suchopar said that she is “very happy” the Ward wants her to stay on.
She said it makes sense to have a continuity in the office – and it helps to have the background.
“It was difficult for me when I first came in because I didn’t have that experience and I didn’t have anybody to help me get up and running,” Suchopar said.
Suchopar said she’s looking forward to helping Ward “be ready to go from day one.”
Most mayors in recent decades have kept the secretary hired by their predecessors.
Couture was the first to buck the trend, dumping former Mayor Frank Nicastro’s secretary so he could hire an administrative aide who helped on his campaign. There was never any doubt that Stortz would hire someone new to replace her.
With the decision to keep on Suchopar, Ward is returning to past practice at City Hall.
On Wednesday morning, Ward made the rounds at City Hall, talking with workers and supervisors briefly, most of whom were happy he’d won.
“I talked with the majority of the department heads that were available,” Ward said. He said he’ll be talking with them in depth in coming days to help set priorities and get ready for the new budget preparation period.


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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com