Council confirms three DPW leaders after wide-ranging hearings on safety, staffing and contracting

Matthew Garbark, Kendall Abu Hakim and Stephen Sharkey were confirmed Thursday by the City Council's Legislative Investigations Committee to lead the Department of Public Works after a hearing that centered on worker safety, contracting, recruitment and efforts to modernize operations. Garbar k was approved to serve as director of DPW; Kendall Abu Hakim was approved as bureau head of Solid Waste; and Stephen Sharkey was approved as bureau head of Water and Wastewater. Committee members pressed each nominee on frontline safety, hiring and the department's reliance on contractors. The nominees presented similar top priorities: strengthen a culture of safety, reduce reliance on outside contractors by building in-house capacity, invest in apprenticeships and training pipelines, and use data to guide operations. Garbark, the director nominee, said his top priority is the health and safety of workers and customers. He described work to document procedures, expand anonymous reporting through a "speak up" tip line, and create clearer accountability up and down the chain of command. Garbark told council members he will seek to bring more work back in house where cost-benefit and training…