Council appoints Sharon Torres as Norwalk director of human resources

The Norwalk Common Council voted to appoint Sharon Torres as the city's director of human resources following a nationwide search and multi-round interviews.

Mayor Harry W. Rilling presented Torres as one of two finalists and said the search firm recommended her hire. Council member Goldstein said he found her "very capable" and that she held a background in public service. Torres addressed the council virtually and said she looked forward to bringing her government and human-resources experience to the role.

Council members said the long vacancy in the HR director role had strained staff and city operations and thanked interim HR employees for stepping in during the search. After a motion to appoint, the council voted in favor of Torres's hiring; the meeting record shows the appointment carried and council members welcomed her to the position.

No additional hiring conditions or contract details were discussed in the council meeting; council members said they expect Torres to work with staff to address employee concerns and improve internal communications.