Board confirms Justin McCarthy as New Haven chief administrative officer after public testimony

Justin McCarthy was confirmed as New Haven’s chief administrative officer after a public confirmation hearing during which he described his career in the city’s fire department, administrative duties during the COVID-19 response and priorities for overseeing multiple departments.

McCarthy told the Board of Alders he began his city career as a firefighter in 2008, later served as assistant chief of administration and worked on procurement and emergency response during the pandemic. He said the CAO role will oversee police, fire, 9‑1‑1/emergency management, public works, parks, human resources and engineering. “I put my pension on hold for this position,” McCarthy said, adding that he decided to return to New Haven after a short break in service and that he “does not see [himself] practicing law.”

Alder questions centered on retention and morale in the departments McCarthy will supervise, equipment and procurement timelines, responsiveness to constituent service requests, and how he will maintain continuity given recent turnover in comparable executive roles. McCarthy said police and fire contract improvements have helped recruitment, cited a large current applicant pool for the police department, and outlined steps he has taken to strengthen cross‑department collaboration, including scheduling a full‑day joint training for police, fire and emergency management leadership. He described ongoing work on technology upgrades for 9‑1‑1 and police records, a proposed citywide online employee learning platform, and capital requests for vehicles and sweepers in the city’s upcoming budget.

Department and community leaders gave extensive public testimony supporting McCarthy. Dan Gottlieb, president of the Board of Fire Commissioners, said McCarthy “has my most enthusiastic endorsement” and highlighted McCarthy’s leadership during difficult incidents in 2021. Assistant Chief Dan Goffman (operations) described McCarthy as “fair, consistent, and accessible” and said McCarthy helped lead the department through multiple line‑of‑duty deaths and pandemic operations. Rebecca von Barrow, deputy chief administrative officer, praised McCarthy as a “team builder” who lifts department heads and holds staff accountable in a measured way. Other speakers who testified in support included Joshua Antrim (president, Freedom Firebirds), Daryl Brooks (community leader), Joseph Vidalgo (PSAP/9‑1‑1 director), Max Webster (parks director), and several others who described McCarthy’s experience, problem‑solving and commitment to New Haven.

On the CAO role’s legal background, McCarthy told the aldermen he earned a Juris Doctor degree but said on the record, “I will not be practicing law ever.” He said he uses the degree daily in municipal work but does not plan to pursue a legal practice or a role as city counsel.

Several alders pressed McCarthy on constituent responsiveness and the mechanics of service requests; McCarthy said his office manages SeeClickFix workflows, is reviewing staffing and task assignments, and is pushing updates to departmental web pages so residents can find answers without multiple calls. He acknowledged budget constraints and rising equipment costs as the main operational challenge but said he will prioritize reliable equipment and training to support frontline staff.

After public testimony concluded, the board voted to carry the confirmation. The transcript did not record a roll‑call tally in the hearing record provided.

The CAO confirmation will put McCarthy in an executive role charged with coordinating multiple public‑safety and infrastructure departments and advancing capital and technology projects the city flagged during the hearing.