Former Mayor Named New Finance Director In Hamden

HAMDEN, CT — Former Mayor Scott D. Jackson has been named Hamden’s new finance director, Mayor Curt Balzano Leng announced Thursday.

Curtis Eatman, who had been serving as the town’s finance director, has been appointed the town’s Acting Economic Development Director, according to Leng. Mayoral appointments are submitted to the Hamden Legislative Council for their review and approval, per the Hamden Town Charter.

Jackson was elected mayor of Hamden in 2009 and resigned in 2015, soon after announcing he wouldn't seek a fourth term, to join former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's administration in the Office of Policy and Management. He later served as the State Commissioner for the Department of Revenue Services and most recently worked as the Chief Administrative Officer to New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker.

“This is without question the right move, at the right time, to strengthen our town government and finances,” Leng said in a statement. “Scott Jackson returns to Hamden with a wealth of knowledge about municipal and state finance and government, and an enormous amount of experience interacting, negotiating, and cooperating with local, federal, and state financial, non-profit and service agencies. As we are working very hard to address challenges, both unique to Hamden and shared by so many communities during truly unprecedented times, we are ensuring that Hamden enters 2021 with the best tools possible to most effectively fight for our taxpayers.

“I know Scott as a leader, as a family man, and as a lifelong Hamdenite ready to enter this position with a fire in his belly, because he cares about our town, and ready to work from day one to help ensure our community’s success, fiscal stability and security.”

While serving in his state roles, Jackson was “instrumental in steering the State of Connecticut’s efforts to enhance internet-based sales tax collections, modernizing the state’s unemployment insurance infrastructure, coordinating a variety of major state grant programs and urban redevelopment projects and had extensive interaction with municipalities throughout Connecticut,” officials wrote in a news release.

Earlier in his career and before serving as mayor in Hamden, Jackson served in various roles in former U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman’s office throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. He worked as a Project Manager for the Connecticut Policy and Economic Council from 2001-2003, as Hamden’s Community Development Manager from 2004-2005 and as Chief Administrative Officer from 2005-2009. Jackson was a Yale University Mellon Foundation Summer Research Fellow in 1991, and received his Bachelor of Arts in Government from Cornell University in 1993.

Eatman will transition to the role of Acting Economic Development Director. He has served the town in the role of finance director during “unprecedented times, with major challenges posed by the pandemic and budget, with professionalism and commitment,” officials wrote in a news release. “In addition to his efforts as Acting Economic Development Director, he will be able to assist in the completion of projects as needed and ensure a proper transition, something always beneficial and which demonstrates stability for local governments.”

Eatman, a former Deputy Commissioner of Finance for Schenectady, New York (2016-2019), served as Hamden’s Director of Finance for the year 2020. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communication & Rhetorical Studies from Syracuse University in 2009, and went on to receive a Master of Public Administration from Syracuse in 2011. Eatman previously served as a Senior Legislative Fiscal Analyst for the New York State Assembly, Ways and Means Committee (2013-2016) and as the Principal Legislative Fiscal Analyst for the New York State Senate (2019).

“Mr. Eatman’s service as Finance Director was valuable and he served consistently with integrity and commitment,” Leng said. “I thank him wholeheartedly for his service in this role over the past year. This somewhat unique senior staffing change allows Hamden the opportunity to put the proper chess pieces in the best spots on the board for success. These changes strengthen our ability to address challenges we face in these uncertain times. I have every confidence that Mr. Eatman will excel in his new role and attack it with the knowledge and commitment he has clearly demonstrated.”

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