Mayor Mark Smith said this week that he has named Fire Captain Jason O’Donnell to the newly created post of acting director of the Department of Municipal Services, pending City Council confirmation as director. Under the new four-department system that takes effect this month at City Hall, the Municipal Services Department will include the divisions of Recreation, Planning, Zoning, Building, and Health, the Bayonne Public Library, and the Office on Aging.
The City Council approved Mayor Smith’s plan in November, which would reduce the number of city departments from nine to four in an attempt to create more accountability and improve efficiency.
“I am honored that Mayor Smith has put his faith in me to lead this newly consolidated municipal department.” – Jason O’Donnell
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The plan calls for reducing the city’s departments from the current nine to four, and creating subdivisions in each department to handle many of the chores departments currently handle.
In presenting the plan for council approval last month, Steve Gallo – chief of staff to Mayor Smith – said the reorganization put together elements of government with similar purposes and provides a means for sharing employees so as to make a departments leaner and more efficient.
These include police and fire protection, maintenance of roads and other public facilities, public health, maintenance of parks and playgrounds, removal of refuse and litter, tax assessment and collection, economic development, and construction enforcement. Municipal governments also provide programs for recreation, senior citizens, sports leagues, pre-school and other educational classes and quality of life services.
“Jason O’Donnell has been an outstanding public servant since he became a firefighter in 1995,” Mayor Smith said. “For the past year, he has volunteered as my deputy chief of staff, and has played major roles in developing policy and responding to constituent requests. After 15 years in local government, he is well-prepared to assume this important new role. I look forward to working with Jason as he directs this new department for the people of Bayonne.”
O’Donnell, who has played a key role as chairman of the city’s Democratic organization, said he is on board with the mayor’s effort to reduce the costs of running government.
“I am honored that Mayor Smith has put his faith in me to lead this newly consolidated municipal department,” he said. “I am also excited for the opportunity to serve my community in this new capacity and to further the mayor’s mission of reducing the cost of government. The Department of Municipal Services is the department that will have the most direct daily contact with the public, providing everything from senior services and library books to building permits and recreational activities. I am eager to coordinate these programs, while serving the public in an efficient manner.”
O’Donnell will hold the post as acting director until the City Council votes on the measure at the Dec. 16 meeting.
O’Donnell earned a bachelor of arts in fire science at New Jersey City University, from which he graduated summa cum laude. He joined the Bayonne Fire Department in 1995. He is a certified first responder with C.P.R. and auto external defibrillator certification. O’Donnell is also experienced in conducting building inspections for hazards and fire code violations.
As a firefighter, he has performed search and rescue exercises, extinguishment of fires, and all safety-related functions.
O’Donnell is also currently a member of the City of Bayonne’s Planning Board, a past president of the County Donegal Association, a member of the Knights of Columbus, and chairman of the Bayonne Democratic Committee.