Coronavirus Testing Dispute Leads To Emergency Manager Resigning

NEW CANAAN, CT — At the urging of New Canaan First Selectman Kevin Moynihan, Mike Handler has resigned as the town's director of Emergency Management, an unpaid position he held for the past nine years.

Moynihan did not detail all the reasons that led to his decision to ask for Handler's resignation, but he said that over the last 90 days or so, he has received numerous complaints about Handler's treatment of colleagues.

"You can't crush other people and expect them to be able to work with you," Moynihan said during a press briefing Thursday morning.

In an email to Patch and other media outlets, Handler said he was proud of his work, but found that he could no longer "do what is in the best interest of the people of New Canaan" under Moynihan.

"There are so many reasons why I love to call New Canaan home, and why I have spent over 20 years volunteering for our town — the last 9 years as Emergency Management Director," Handler said. "I have always promised that I would only do what is in the best interest of the people of New Canaan. This promise is one that I am unable to keep under Mr. Moynihan. I am extremely proud of my service and I believe the town will be in wonderful hands under the leadership of my friend, Chief Jack Hennessey and our talented and dedicated team. I will certainly miss the honor of serving you all in this capacity and wish you all good health. With gratitude and respect, Mike Handler."

Handler ran for governor in the last campaign cycle, and he has served as Stamford's director of Administration.

The last straw was due to a dispute between Handler and health officials over the town's coronavirus (COVID-19) testing program, which Handler wanted the town to operate for more days during the week.

Currently, the testing program runs for three days a week, which reportedly was placing a strain on the health department. Additional days would only exacerbate that problem.

Thus far, the town has tested about 1,000 residents for the virus under the program, which is run by Stamford Hospital, according to Moynihan, who added that 31 of the 1,000 residents have shown to have COVID-19 antibodies in their systems.

In April, Moynihan offered a compliment to the Emergency Management team and Handler for their efforts concerning the coronavirus when Moynihan's business-like approach to handling the crisis was questioned.

"We have an incredible Emergency Management Team and we communicate as a team," Moynihan said. "Mike Handler has been the voice of Emergency Management for the Town for over 10 years even though he is a volunteer and not an employee."

New Canaan's Fire Chief Jack Hennessey, who served as deputy director of Emergency Management, will take over as the new director. Other than that, Moynihan does not expect to make any other changes to the position, though he told reporters that there possibly could be changes to the title down the road.

"This could become a paid position, but we haven't gotten there yet," Moynihan said.

On Wednesday night, Moynihan issued the following statement on his decision to ask for Handler's resignation:

Earlier today, I asked for and received the resignation of Mike Handler as Director of the Office of Emergency Management. Mike was appointed and served as EOM Director as a volunteer for the past nine years and has served the Town well through many prior storms and other natural disaster emergencies.

The clinical complexity and duration of the novel coronavirus emergency has been unprecedented and while Mike's role was to head the Town's Emergency Management Center (EOC), both Mike and I continuously relied upon our medical and public health experts to help establish policy and to provide the details of communications to the public. Our town is blessed to have a great team of highly experienced first responders, two distinguished medical directors in Dr. David Reed for the Town and Dr. Harrison Pierce for the Schools, and our Health Director Jenn Eielson. In this health emergency, our medical advisers and health director are our most critical assets, and Mike’s role as EMD was to coordinate and communicate as the "voice"of the EOC, but not as the ultimate decision maker. All decisions under our Emergency Operations Plan are made, after consultation with our medical and public health advisors, other EOC members and Town leaders, by myself as CEO.

The COVID testing plan we commenced two weeks ago caused great strain on our Health Department and other Town staff. Our goal remains to provide community testing to meet the needs of our residents and to provide the critical data on the infection rate of our residents in order to move forward re-opening our local economy in a safe manner. Throughout any crisis, and especially during this pandemic emergency, decisions must be made after thoughtful and respectful discussion and debate. While all of this coordination may have appeared seamless to the greater community, regrettably, recent circumstances have required me to make this change in staffing.

While I regret the circumstances that led to Mike's departure, the team of medical advisers and other EOC professionals who have provided extraordinary service and advice have not changed with Mike's departure and will continue to help us manage our way through the current pandemic as a leader in the State of Connecticut.

We certainly appreciate Mike’s past service and wish him well.