Malden's New City Treasurer Is Former MBTA CFO

The position of Treasurer has been vacant since May, when then-City Treasurer, Mark Good, provided his resignation letter after being voted as Norwood Treasurer. A search committee was created to find a replacement in Malden. The City has hired an outside firm to meet the Treasurer needs until a replacement can be found.

A deciding vote took place Tuesday evening at the Malden City Council meeting at the Senior Center to fill the position. Former MBTA CFO Jonathan Davis received what essentially was a tie-breaking vote to be City Treasurer. There will be a review in six months for the possibility of Davis becoming the CFO. Davis was voted in over former City Councilor Neil Kinnon.

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The process included over 190 applicants that were reduced to six in a private job application process, to respect the privacy of the applicants in the very public process. The final six were made public and set for public interviews before the appointing body, the Malden City Council. Two of the applicants dropped out, before the public interview process went forward. The final four: Michael Bertino, former City Treasurer; Davis; Daniel Grover, home-grown with professional financial experience and Kinnon.

After the initial set of public interviews, another interview was done in Executive Session, and Michael Bertino dropped out. A second set of public interviews was set up for the three remaining interviews. The City Council meeting before the municipal election was set to vote on a Treasurer and/or CFO. The first set of votes had Daniel Grover with the lowest number of votes, and therefore was eliminated. The evening went with multiple votes, each tied 5-5 between Davis and Kinnon. It was decided that the vote would resume after the municipal election when the Councillor from Ward 6 would be sworn in and be able to cast the deciding vote and break any tie.

The Treasurer/Collector's job is appointed by and reports to the Mmalden City Council. Working closely with the Mayor and the other members of the finance team on a daily basis. Treasurer/Collector will serve as a public officer in compliance with Massachusetts General Laws governing municipal finance and the collection of local taxes etc.

The CFO position shall, under the direction of the mayor, prepare the annual appropriations order for consideration by the City Council and, under the direction of the mayor and City Council, develop and implement a long-range capital plan.

The CFO position has been empty since it was first proposed by the city's audit firm, Roselli, Clark and Associates. A concept fully supported by the Financial Management Review in March of 2011.