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'Key' Perez Official Taking Job In Boston

By JEFFREY B. COHEN, Courant Staff Writer

September 19, 2007

John F. Palmieri, the city's director of development services, is leaving Hartford to be the next head of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, Mayor Eddie A. Perez confirmed Tuesday.

"He was a key member of my team," Perez said. "He's a real professional, knows the craft, and was a great implementer."

"He obviously needed a bigger challenge ... but he served me well," Perez said.

Palmieri confirmed last week that he was in "serious discussions" with the office of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino about the job, but he declined to comment Tuesday. Menino's office did not return a call for comment.

Palmieri came to Hartford in April 2004 from Charlotte, N.C., where he was the economic development director. He had worked in Providence as head of its planning department under Mayor Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci Jr.

He was the first to run the city's department of development services, which Perez created to combine the functions of economic development, housing and property management, grants management services, licenses and inspections, and planning.

It is unclear when Palmieri will leave his post, but Perez said he would probably look to hire an interim director while he performs a national search that could take four to six months. It will also give him a chance to take a closer look at the department, he said. Perez didn't rule out the possibility of hiring someone local or who already works for the city.

Perez said his biggest concern is to have someone "who is able to have a conversation with one of the major CEOs in this town ... and to be able to convince them that we understand what their needs are."