Martin Announces 2 More Desired Cabinet Appointments

Tuesday brought with it yet another announcement from new Mayor David Martin's office, this time concerning the appointment of two positions to his cabinet.

Michael Pollard, who served on Stamford's Board of Finance from 2003 to 2009—the final two as Chairman, was appointed to the position of Special Assistant to the Mayor, functioning as Chief of Staff starting immediately, Martin said in a release. The Chief of Staff will "work closely with the cabinet to set and implement the mayor's agenda."

While the Pollard will be jumping in immediately, it's not yet a position funded by the city. No funding will be dispersed for the new cabinet position until the request for funds earns approval through appropriate city boards following Martin's submission of an appropriate request.

Martin called the appointment a "recognition of Stamford's status as a major city in Connecticut," citing it's size as the third largest in the state and the fact that the other four cities in Connecticut with over 100,000 residents each have the position as well.

"Stamford has grown to become a major player in our state and region and we continue to attract new residents each day. The appointment of a Chief of Staff allows our city to catch up to other municipalities who have recognized the significance of the role to more effectively addressing complex challenges and creating opportunities," Martin said. "The position will play a dynamic role in the administration."

The new mayor also announced Michael Handler would remain on staff from former Mayor Michael Pavia's administration in the position of Director of Administration. His appointment "represents continuity from the prior administration to the current administration," Martin's office said. 

Though Pollard's appointment would be a new position requiring new funds from the city, Martin believes it would ultimately result in savings at Stamford's bottom line. 

"We face a number of critical issues in Stamford and [Pollard] is equipped with the breadth and depth of experience necessary to help drive the agenda. He is committed to championing government that is more responsive, effective and transparent, and he will be an asset to our team and to the city," Martin said, adding in his release, "On the board he was an advocate for efforts to reduce costs and improve city processes and was recognized for his leadership in establishing more equitable budget policies."

Of Handler, a statement on behalf of Martin's office cited Handler's record as speaking for itself:

"He has a record of being fiscally conservative in his approach to budget management for the city, which will prove helpful in enabling the city to take advantage of various priorities. He's obviously very talented and has a great deal of corporate experience."