Mayor appoints Carla Barraza as chief human resources officer; council refers appointment to HR and requests executive session review of investigation

Mayor (acting) announced Tuesday that he has appointed Carla Barraza as Chicopee’s chief human resources officer and asked the council to consider the appointment. Barraza addressed the council, described her municipal human resources experience and said she took the post after serving as senior HR generalist and deputy chief in the city’s HR department.

Barraza said she has 12 years of municipal experience, holds a degree in human resources and has been described by colleagues as “the glue of the department.” In public comment earlier, Derek Dovis referenced a report by retired Superior Court Judge Mary Lou Rupp that he said recommended significant changes in the HR department and included the line, quoted by Dovis, that “neither the chief, human resource officer nor the deputy chief human resource officer is capable of righting the sinking ship.” Dovis urged the council to review the report before voting.

Council members debated procedure and asked the city attorney about how to consider personnel matters and whether an executive session was required to review the investigative material. Councilor Krampitz moved—and the council seconded and approved—a motion to send the mayor’s order to the human resources committee for a public hearing and to schedule an executive session for the full council to review the referenced report. The roll call vote on the motion to send the appointment to HR and to convene an executive session passed 12‑yes, 1‑no.

The mayor said the appointment resulted from a regional/national search and that police, fire and DPW chiefs and the mayor’s chief of staff participated on the interview panel; he said the panel’s decision was unanimous. The mayor said he will post for an assistant HR director and that an external consultant is finalizing an assessment of HR operations. Barraza said she has signed a three‑year contract and that she and staff will move to modernize HR systems and address outstanding benefits issues.

Councilors who raised concerns asked that the investigative report be reviewed in executive session so that members could discuss personnel and legal questions before considering a final confirmation vote. The appointment itself was not voted on at the meeting; it was referred to committee as the next step.