NORTHAMPTON— Mayor David J. Narkewicz announced Monday that Donna LaScaleia has been appointed as the city’s new director of the Department of Public Works. LaScaleia will be the first woman to hold that position in Northampton.
The decision comes after a four-month search to fill the position held by Acting Director and City Engineer James Laurila since the previous director of public works — Edward “Ned” Huntley — stepped down in December to take another position in Easthampton and died soon afterward. Laurila announced last week he will take a position in Springfield. The starting salary for LaScaleia will be $105,000.
LaScaleia will begin work as acting director immediately to “ensure a smooth transition,” according to a statement Monday. Laurila’s last day will be Friday following a City Council meeting Thursday to confirm LaScaleia’s appointment.
LaScaleia is the former superintendent of Green Mountain Power, a Vermont-based utility company where she oversaw daily operations in the Brattleboro and Wilmington districts as well as regular and emergency utility work. She was responsible for management of district personnel and budgets, planning and construction of capital projects, warehouse logistics and training and safety, the statement said.
“It is an honor for me to be here … Northampton is a beautiful and diverse city,” LaScaleia said Monday, adding that she is “completely vested” in the operations of the department.
LaScaleia said her initial priority is to get to know the public works staff and acclimate herself to the city.
Prior to her time at Green Mountain Power, LaScaleia was director of facilities management at the World Learning and SIT Graduate Institute, an international college based in Brattleboro, Vermont. LaScaleia is a Boston College graduate and a licensed master electrician.
Narkewicz said the city in late December advertised the open position locally, regionally and nationally. From there, he assembled a screening committee composed of residents, city staff, a city councilor and the city’s human resources director to sift through the 30 applicants that were received by the March 15 deadline.
The committee met with 13 contenders and whittled the list down to a smaller group to present to the mayor. The applicants then provided written information and met with the mayor before Narkewicz selected LaScaleia.
“I was very impressed by her skills, personal qualities and career background,” Narkewicz said Monday. “She will be an outstanding fit for the department.”
The mayor said LaScaleia’s ability to “lead and manage a complex organization” made her the top pick for the position. He added the job of a director of public works is two-pronged: LaScaleia must take a “customer service” role to keep residents happy as well as be responsible for complex infrastructure including roads, bridges and underground systems.
Narkewicz submitted his appointment to the City Council for confirmation and it will appear on the council’s Thursday agenda for a required committee referral.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated from an earlier version to clarify the conditions of Ned Huntley’s departure from the Department of Public Works and to clarify the selection process.