The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:
City Manager George Proakis is excited to announce that the City of Watertown has hired Erika Oliver Jerram as the City of Watertown’s new Director of Community Design!
Erika is a certified professional planner with over 20 years of experience in both the private sector and municipal planning. She joins Watertown after working for the Town of Billerica, where she was the Director of Planning and Community Development and led the Town’s efforts in zoning, open space design, and economic development. Prior to her time in Billerica, Erika previously held roles in the Planning and Community Development in Framingham, and as an Associate Planner with Sasaki Associates in Watertown.
When Erika begins on Monday, August 26, 2024, she will be leading the newly formed Community Design Division within the Community Development and Planning Department. Under her direction will include the Senior Planners on Economic Development and Open Space, as well as the Arts and Culture Planner.
The creation of the Community Design team comes at a key moment for the City of Watertown, with many exciting projects upcoming. Erika and her team’s main focus will be to ensure Watertown continues to prioritize and build great public spaces and projects that enhance our community. They will be actively involved in efforts like Watertown Square and Walker Pond, as well as cultivating an environment where our small businesses, corridors, squares, and cultural districts to thrive.
City Manager George Proakis says “Erika is an outstanding addition to our already impressive Department on Community Development and Planning. Her design and planning vision, coupled with her extensive experience and leadership capabilities will benefit our community for many years to come.”
Erika holds a Master of Urban Planning from the Havard Graduate School of Design, and an undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College in the Growth and Structure of Cities.
Join the City of Watertown in welcoming Erika!
Director of community design sounds like a great role to have in our government at this time.
What exactly are her duties and decision powers?
What oversight did the City Council have over the search and selection process?
None. They are the legislative branch. The City Manager is the executive branch. Civics.
Hey Mr. Civics Expert, important nominative positions in both the executive and judiciary branches frequently require legislative approval. Have you never participated in or at least watched a confirmation hearing?
You are confusing the U.S. Senate with the City Council. We have three levels of government and three branches of government. The City Charter is an excellent resource to learn about how things work in a municipality.
Mr. Fahey, I suggest YOU consult the Home Rule Charter, specifically Section 3-2. The City Manager does not have card blanche.
“the town manager shall meet with the town council to discuss priorities for the department and desirable qualifications and qualities of candidates for the position.”
Section 9-6 gives the City Council veto powers on the manager’s appointments of city officers, though the charter (as far as I can tell) is silent on the newly-created “Director of Community Design” specifically.
Perhaps the charter should be amended to prevent a city manager from installing apparatchiks into newly-created yet powerful offices with questionable legislative oversight.
It’s carte blanche.
The Council does NOT approve most department head appointments, though they do have veto over certain positions.
Always good to check the Charter and legal counsel with questions! Always an element of interpretation required, as is the case with the U.S. Constitution. No originalist nonsense!
M. Whipps:
You are correct,
carte blanche:
Unrestricted power to act at one’s own discretion; unconditional authority.
Unlimited discretionary power to act; unrestricted authority.
Complete freedom or authority to act.
As the hissing commentator stated, if the “Council…have veto over certain positions” ergo the Manager does not have unrestricted or unlimited power to act.
No free ride about the assertions from the self-appointed Constitutional scholar either. Originalism is “nonsense”? Most Supremes interpret the Constitution as it was written, not as what some believe it could mean today in their own twisted views, particularly when some can’t even define what a woman is. But we understand from where they are coming.
Facts are facts. You can make all the assertions you want. Doesn’t make them true.
I don’t worry about what a woman is. I’ll leave that to you.