After eight months of interviewing, the city has hired Robert Pittfield, 42, of Warren, to be Union City’s chief financial officer. Pittfield comes to the city after having served Jersey City for almost 20 years.
"He came highly recommended by the state," said Union City Mayor Brian Stack last week. "I wouldn’t have hired him if the state didn’t recommend him."
Pittfield will be filling the unexpired term of former Chief Financial Officer Joe Suliga, who was terminated shortly after former Mayor Raul "Rudy" Garcia’s resignation in October 2000. According to Stack, Pittfield’s term in Union City ends in December 2002. Pittfield will then enter into a five-year contract.
Pittfield began working with Jersey City as the assistant director of finance in 1989.
Like Union City, Jersey City is a member of the state’s Distressed Cities program. Cities in the program receive extra financial aid and advice from the state. Pittfield looks forward to the challenge of getting Union City back on sound financial ground.
"I welcome the challenge," said Pittfield from his desk on the fourth floor of City Hall last week. "I am really excited to be working with Mayor Stack. [Stack] is dedicated to the citizens of Union City. He really cares about them and it is obvious. That is motivational to me."
Pittfield also served as Jersey City’s Municipal Court Director from 1996 to 1998 and, most recently, as that city’s treasurer since February 1998.
"The Distressed Cities Program not only gives money, which is great and extremely helpful," said Pittfield. "They also provide help through their auditors that make recommendations on our current systems."
Stack is pleased with the new financial team in the city.
"We have a good financial team building up there," said Stack referring to treasurer Doug Gutch, financial volunteer Bob McKechnie, and Pittfield. The three will be the architects of the next city budget, which Pittfield said is "coming soon."
Prior to hiring Pittfield, Lisa Tricoli was working with the city as a signatory for a $5,000 stipend.
Pittfield is the first person hired by the city in more than one year. Because of the city’s past fiscal crises, the city has been on a hiring and salary freeze.
"We only hired Pittfield because we had to," said Stack. "We really need to have someone in that position, not just a signature."
Since the city is now under the Distressed Cities Program, the state served as the overseer for the hiring process and recommended the position’s salary. This means that the state reviewed all applications received by the city and had to verify the credentials of every finalist.
Pittfield will be earning $80,000 a year, the salary recommended by the state, with no overtime.
"To have someone with 19 years of experience in Union City for that salary is great," said Stack.