Press Releases
11/22/2017
Gov. Malloy Names Appointees to the State’s Municipal Accountability Review Board
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he is appointing Thomas S. Hamilton, Scott Jackson, and Jay Nolan to serve as his appointees on the state’s recently created Municipal Accountability Review Board.
The eleven-member group was established by the biennial budget (Public Act 17-2) that Governor Malloy signed into law on October 31 and will serve as a municipal review board that is responsible for working with cities and towns in order to provide early intervention and technical assistance if needed, and to help financially distressed municipalities avoid insolvency or bankruptcy in exchange for greater accountability.
“Our towns and cities are the foundation of a strong and prosperous state,” Governor Malloy said. “Healthy, vibrant communities – and thriving urban centers in particular – are essential for our success in this global economy. In order to have vibrant downtowns, retain and grow jobs, and attract new businesses, we need to make sure all of our municipalities are on solid fiscal ground or on the path to fiscal health. With this accountability and review board, the state will be poised to intercede early to put struggling local governments on a path to sustainable fiscal health before they are on the brink of a fiscal crisis.”
The newly adopted statute requires the Governor to appoint five members – three of whom are of his own selection, with an additional appointment originating from the recommendation of AFSCME and another from a joint recommendation of CEA and AFT-CT. The four, bipartisan legislative leaders also appoint one member each. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the State Treasurer – or their designees – serve as co-chairpersons. The two appointees that originate from labor recommendations are forthcoming.
The group’s first meeting is anticipated to be held soon.
Background on the Governor’s appointees:
- Thomas J. Hamilton of Norwalk (six-year term): Hamilton currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of the Norwalk Public Schools system, where he has worked since October 2015. He is responsible for managing the financial affairs of the district, including budget preparation and execution, capital planning, accounting, financial reporting, payroll, purchasing, and accounts payable. In addition, he oversees facilities, food service, and student transportation on behalf of the district. Previously, he served as Chief Financial officer for the City of Norwalk from 2003 to 2015. Under this capacity, he was responsible for managing all financial operations for the city, including accounting, financial reporting, payroll, treasury/cash management, budget preparation and execution, internal audit, risk management, purchasing, and central services. He also served as Director of Administration for the City of Stamford for seven years with then-Mayor Malloy, and was also Director of Finance for the City of West Haven.
- Scott D. Jackson of Hamden (six-year term): Jackson currently serves as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Labor, where he has worked since February 2016. He previously served as Under Secretary for Intergovernmental Policy with the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, and prior to that served as Mayor of Hamden from 2009 to 2015. He has also served in a number of positions with the Town of Hamden, including as its Chief Administrative officer, managed the town’s Housing and Neighborhood Development agency, and served on the Community Development Advisory Commission. He also previously served as Project Manager and Technical Director for the Connecticut Policy and Economic Council, an entrepreneurial nonprofit dedicated to improving the delivery of government services.
- John “Jay” Nolan of West Hartford (six-year term): Nolan currently serves as counsel for Day Pitney, LLP in Hartford. Since joining the firm in 1969, he has tried most type of commercial cases to juries and courts in state and federal courts around the country. He has extensive experience in cases involving disputes between owners and businesses, and he has also represented institutional clients who have been victimized in sophisticated frauds perpetrated by debtors, investors, and advisors. Nolan started the firm’s insolvency practice in the early 1970s, and has represented institutional creditors, committees, and debtors over the last 35 years. Most recently, he represented electric utilities in the bankruptcies that followed the deregulation of that industry.
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