SPRINGFIELD — City officials are creating a search committee that will vet candidates to replace Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Timothy J. Plante, whose 16-year career with the city ends Friday.
Plante said Monday he is resigning to take a position at the Boston-based organization Open Architects, which creates data tools.
The task of the search committee is to recommend between two to five candidates to the mayor, who will select the city’s next chief administrative and financial officer.
On Tuesday, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno announced his four picks to the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Screening Committee: Margaret Lynch, who sat on the city’s Board of Assessors; William Christofori, Springfield Park Commissioner; Jose Claudio, New North Citizens Council’s chief operating officer; and Haskell Kennedy, who sits on the Springfield Retirement Board.
“These dedicated individuals and public servants bring a wealth of administration, finance and management experience and knowledge and will without a doubt work diligently with the appointments from the City Council,” Sarno said in a statement.
City Council President Jesse Lederman appointed City Council Vice President Melvin Edwards to join the seven-member board.
In a statement Tuesday, Lederman said Edwards will bring “unique and valuable” insight to the screening committee as one of the City Council’s longest-serving members.
Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz and LaTonia Naylor, vice chair of the School Committee, will each name an individual to the search committee.
Claudio said members plan to get together as much as possible to decide who will succeed Plante. He said members will meet as long as they have to and ask a lot of questions about each applicant.
In the meantime, City Comptroller Patrick Burns will serve as the acting chief administrative and finance officer.
