May 4, 2026

Items Recommended for Full Council

Courtney Henderson – City Clerk Appointment – Recommended 4-0

The committee unanimously recommended Courtney Henderson for City Clerk. Henderson previously served as Somerville's inaugural multilingual public information officer and went on to roles as Brockton's inaugural director of immigrant affairs and a position at the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office. Outgoing Clerk Kimberly Wells described a multi-round interview process (involving the council president, vice president, Chair Mbah, Wells, and HR Director Anne Gill) and emphasized Henderson's ability to "operationalize" — building systems from the ground up while also handling detailed administrative work.

Henderson presented a 90-day plan: month one for listening and workflow mapping, month two for aligning priorities with councilors, and month three for implementation with SMART goals. She emphasized proactive (rather than reactive) service, transparency including sharing "the good, bad, and the ugly," and accessibility to councilors. Council President Davis will present the report at full council since Chair Mbah will be absent.

Eric Weisman – Commissioner of Public Works – Recommended 4-0

Weisman, with the city since 2017 and serving as interim DPW commissioner, was unanimously recommended. He emphasized cross-departmental collaboration, citing his role chairing weekly events meetings coordinating DPW, police, fire, and other departments. On modernization, he discussed rolling out iPads to field staff so residents can see photos of completed work orders, exploring speed limiters for safety, and meeting collective bargaining obligations during technology rollouts. He acknowledged ongoing staffing challenges but noted several departments are close to full staffing. Councilor Ewen-Campen, Hardt, and Link all praised his prior work with the council.

Logan Brill – Conservation Commission – Recommended 4-0

Brill, an environmental engineer, was unanimously recommended. He spoke to balancing housing needs with open space and climate resilience, noting Somerville's zoning changes have been thoughtful about not removing green infrastructure. He discussed Somerville's rain gardens (including those on Summer Street) and cited a Tufts campus rain garden with overflow controls as a strong design example.

Valerie Locker – Conservation Commission – Recommended 4-0

Locker, an environmental scientist with a wetlands and permitting background, was unanimously recommended. Urban Forestry and Landscape Planner Malik Drayton introduced her, noting her experience appearing before conservation commissions on permit applications. She highlighted opportunities for redevelopment to convert pavement to green/open space, citing Draw 7 Park as an example, and described her approach of observing existing operations before proposing changes.

Dennis Sullivan – Fire District Chief – Recommended 4-0

Captain Sullivan, with the department since 2011, holds bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry plus a bachelor's in fire administration. Fire Chief Charles Breen introduced him. Sullivan discussed mentoring next-generation lieutenants and his higher-level administrative training through Salem State's fire science administration program. Councilor Ewen-Campen noted the chemistry background is particularly relevant given local battery and reactive-chemical companies.

Sean Marquis – Fire Lieutenant – Recommended 4-0

Marquis, on the department since 2021, is a CPA with an accounting degree from UMass Amherst and has been acting lieutenant on Ladder 3 at Teele Square since September. He discussed transitioning from task-based firefighter work to supervisory "10,000-foot view" responsibilities, including crew safety, chain-of-command communication, and incident command.

Michael J. Marino – Fire Captain – Recommended 4-0

Lt. Marino, a 20-year department veteran, is a US Navy veteran, registered nurse (UMass Boston), and holds an MBA from Fitchburg State. He serves as the department's infection control officer. Chief Breen credited him with critical support during COVID. Marino described starting the department's Narcan program in 2013 in partnership with Cambridge Health Alliance — using his nursing license to obtain medications when the city didn't qualify for the state program. He also helped DPW develop its bloodborne pathogen safety program.

Items Referred to Committee

Crossing Guard Hiring Review – Recommended Work Completed (4-0)

Originally filed by Councilor Link based on feedback from the Welcome Project/community partners about barriers facing crossing guard candidates. HR Director Anne Gill and Recruitment and Retention Manager Kristen Hill detailed extensive accommodations:

• Paper applications mailed to candidates without computer/email access

• Translation services for English language learners

• A second drug-screening vendor (Concentra) added with drop-in appointments alongside the existing CHA Medford location

• Crossing Guard Supervisor Salvi Cicero offering rides to appointments

• Reference check flexibility (accepting one or two strong references, phone-based checks, etc.)

• Printed conflict-of-interest law materials provided in person if the online training isn't completed beforehand

Councilor Link said the information was "extremely reassuring" and noted much of the work involves educating community partners who help applicants. Chair Mbah emphasized continued outreach in multiple languages. Councilor Ewen-Campen said it was "the most amazing conversation I've heard" on the perennial crossing guard hiring issue.

What's Next

• All seven recommended appointments and promotions head to the full council on Thursday, May 14 for final confirmation.

• Council Vice President will present the committee report at full council; Chair Mbah will be absent.

• The crossing guard hiring item will be marked "work completed."