Council debate over DPW director's credentials; mayor reads Healy's resume into the record

A request from Councilor Ari Rosenberg for Public Works director Jack Healy’s educational background turned into an extended public exchange during the meeting.

Rosenberg said constituents had asked about the director’s engineering degrees and certifications and that he had made a private request for the information. He told the council the intent was "normal due diligence"; during the meeting he added he had no political motive and expressed regret that the item became public. "I was doing my due diligence," Rosenberg said.

Mayor Bass and other councilors pushed back that employee records are administered through the mayor’s office and warned against publicly targeting an individual employee. To address the question on the record, the mayor read a summary of Healy’s education and credentials, including a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Worcester Polytechnic Institute / Wooster Polytech referenced), an MBA (University of Hartford), and multiple professional certificates and municipal certifications. The mayor said Healy serves as the director of public works and town engineer and has extensive prior municipal experience in Litchfield, Torrington and Berlin.

Healy was defended by council members and a reading of his resume was placed into the meeting minutes. The mayor also cautioned that personnel records generally flow through the mayor’s office, not automatically to individual council members, and asked members to use the formal channels if they need documentation.