Garcia chooses Plante as city’s first CAFO

HOLYOKE — Mayor Joshua Garcia has chosen Timothy Plante to lead the city’s modernized Finance Department as the Holyoke’s first chief administrative and financial officer.

According to an announcement from Garcia’s office, the appointment is pending the City Council’s approval and the availability of appropriated funding.

Plante served as Springfield’s CAFO for 16 years before stepping down in 2023. His agreed-upon salary is $187,500 annually, representing the midpoint of the approved salary range for the position.

The creation of the position reflects the city’s effort to modernize Holyoke’s financial operations, strengthen internal controls, improve long-term planning and ensure taxpayers receive accountable and transparent government, according to the city’s announcement.

“From the very beginning of my administration, we’ve made it clear that improving our financial systems needs to be the number one priority if we want to overcome our community challenges. We will accomplish this by building an organization that earns the public’s trust every single day,” Garcia said. “Creating a chief administrative and financial officer position has been one of the most important structural reforms we’ve pursued because strong financial leadership is essential to every service we provide our residents.”

Since taking office, Garcia said he has prioritized strengthening Holyoke’s financial management by advancing municipal finance modernization initiatives, improving oversight and accountability, investing in stronger financial systems, implementing robust internal controls, addressing longstanding audit recommendations and building a more resilient financial organization capable of meeting the city’s long-term needs.

Following months of discussions, the City Council approved provisions to the city’s Municipal Finance Modernization Act during its Feb. 3 meeting. Garcia officially signed the Municipal Finance Modernization Act into law on Feb. 9. The act created leadership positions established under the Municipal Modernization Act.

The creation of the CAFO position is designed to provide executive leadership over the city’s financial operations while improving coordination among finance-related departments, according to the mayor’s office. The position will oversee strategic financial planning, budgeting, treasury and collection operations, procurement and purchasing, financial reporting, capital planning, and organizational performance while helping ensure consistent fiscal management across City Hall.

Garcia said that the appointment followed a thoughtful and collaborative selection process.

A selection committee conducted the initial review of applicants and advanced finalists for interviews with the mayor. Garcia said he invited City Council President Tessa Murphy-Romboletti to participate in the finalist interviews. According to the press release, following those interviews, both Garcia and Murphy-Romboletti “strongly agreed” that Plante was the right choice to serve as Holyoke’s first CAFO and to move his appointment forward to the full City Council for confirmation.

Garcia said, “This position will play an important role in the city’s future. It was important that we work collaboratively in selecting the best candidate. I also want to extend my sincere appreciation to the City Council, which has prioritized the need for this position, and also every member of the selection committee who dedicated their time and expertise to the initial screening and evaluation of applicants.”

Murphy-Romboletti said she is pleased to see the mayor’s appointment of Plante as Holyoke’s first CAFO.

“Creating this position has been a long time coming. I appreciate the collaborative process to get us here and want to especially thank Councilors [Patti] Devine and [Mike] Sullivan for their time helping to screen applicants,” Murphy-Romboletti said. “I look forward to working with Mr. Plante. His experience will be a real asset as we continue building a stronger foundation for city government.”

Garcia said Plante’s experience, leadership, and collaborative approach made him the clear choice for the position.

“Timothy understands both the operational and financial challenges municipalities face,” Garcia said. “He is a collaborative leader with the experience to help us continue modernizing our organization, improving decision-making through better financial information, strengthening accountability and positioning Holyoke for long-term success.”

Plante said in the release that he is honored to be selected as Holyoke’s first CAFO.

“I have 25 years of experience in state and local government. I cannot wait to help the mayor and city of Holyoke improve financial and administrative operations,” Plante stated.

If confirmed by the City Council, Plante will begin immediately following the completion of all required onboarding expectations. The City Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, Aug. 4. The agenda is not yet available, but discussion about the appointment will be covered by Reminder Publishing.