Executive Summary
The Confirmation of Appointments and Personnel Matters Committee met on February 2, 2026, to deliberate on several high-level municipal appointments and police promotions. The committee recommended the approval of Kimberly Wells as Chief Administrative Officer, Diego de Oliveira as Police Captain, Semih Misardi as Police Lieutenant, and Ohemeng Stramatin as Director of Parks and Recreation. Two items—the appointment of a Municipal Hearing Officer and an order regarding hiring practices for City Council and Clerk positions—were kept in committee for further review. All approved recommendations passed with unanimous 5-0 votes.
Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Chair Will Mbah. The meeting was conducted via remote participation pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Act of 2025.
Attendance:
- Councilor Will Mbah (Chair): Present
- Councilor Matt McLaughlin: Present
- Councilor Emily Hardt: Present (Joined during Item 6)
- Councilor Jon Link: Present
- Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen: Present
Staff/Guests:
- Mayor Jake Wilson
- Kimberly Wells, City Clerk / CAO Appointee
- Chief Charles Benford, Somerville Police Department
- Yasmin Rodasi, Legislative Liaison
Charter Overview on Appointments
Chair Mbah provided a high-level overview of the City Council's authority under the revised City Charter regarding the confirmation of appointments and promotions.
- Standards for Review: Appointments are evaluated based on fitness demonstrated by examination, past performance, and evidence of competence and suitability.
- Scope of Authority: The Charter explicitly covers department heads, board members, police and fire employees, the City Attorney, and the Chief Administrative Officer.
- Legal Guidance: The Chair consulted with the City Attorney to ensure discussions remain focused on professional qualifications and job-related experience during open sessions.
Item 6: Appointment of Kimberly Wells as Chief Administrative Officer
Mayor Jake Wilson introduced Kimberly Wells for the position of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), citing her five years of experience as City Clerk and her expertise in municipal government structure.
Discussion Points:
- Role Transition: Ms. Wells described the CAO role as an "operational arm of the city," focusing on cross-departmental systems and efficiency.
- Legal and Labor Oversight: Ms. Wells clarified that while the CAO serves on bargaining committees, the City Attorney handles legal compliance and the Chief of Staff manages day-to-day personnel issues.
- Council Relations: She emphasized a goal to build collaborative relationships between the administration and the City Council on "big, sticky projects."
Vote Outcome: Recommended for Approval (5-0)
- In Favor: Councilors McLaughlin, Hardt, Link, Ewen-Campen, and Chair Mbah.
Item 2: Promotion of Diego de Oliveira to Police Captain
Chief Benford presented Lieutenant Diego de Oliveira for promotion to Captain, noting his 20-year tenure and his role as a multilingual leader of color.
Key Discussion Points:
- Community Affairs Division: If confirmed, de Oliveira will oversee the Community Affairs Division, which includes the community policing command and the co-response model.
- Co-Response Philosophy: De Oliveira stated: "I believe that co-response is the future of policing. It will provide partners and resources to better serve our community... arrest is not always the solution."
- Mentorship: He emphasized leading by example to shift the department culture toward "customer service providers."
Executive Session: The committee entered executive session to discuss confidential personnel matters and disciplinary history. No votes were taken during the session.
Vote Outcome: Recommended for Approval (5-0)
- In Favor: Councilors McLaughlin, Hardt, Link, Ewen-Campen, and Chair Mbah.
Item 3: Promotion of Semih Misardi to Police Lieutenant
Chief Benford presented Sergeant Semih Misardi (referred to in transcript as Samir Massoudi) for promotion to Lieutenant, highlighting his 13 years of service, military background, and multilingual skills.
Key Discussion Points:
- Role of Lieutenant: Chief Benford described the rank as a critical buffer between frontline supervision and executive management.
- Operational Focus: Misardi expressed a desire to return to the patrol division to apply his experience in internal compliance to field operations.
- De-escalation: He emphasized prioritizing services over arrests and ensuring all officers participate in community policing.
Vote Outcome: Recommended for Approval (5-0)
- In Favor: Councilors McLaughlin, Hardt, Link, Ewen-Campen, and Chair Mbah.
Item 4: Appointment of James Plotkin as Municipal Hearing Officer
The committee considered the appointment of James Plotkin.
- Action: Because the candidate was not present to answer questions regarding the application of technical ordinances and public trust, the committee voted to keep the item in committee.
Item 5: Appointment of Ohemeng Stramatin as Director of Parks and Recreation
CAO Kimberly Wells introduced Ohemeng Stramatin, who previously served as the Deputy Director of Recreation for the City of Hartford.
Key Discussion Points:
- Equity and Access: Stramatin discussed reaching constituents with language barriers or limited internet access and improving the "MyRec" website interface.
- Facility Constraints: He acknowledged the tight facility space in Somerville and the need for inter-departmental collaboration with DPW and the School Department.
- Pool Maintenance: Stramatin, a former certified pool operator, addressed the need for better maintenance and programming for city pools.
- Family Programming: Councilors advocated for increased indoor recreational activities for children during winter months.
Vote Outcome: Recommended for Approval (5-0)
- In Favor: Councilors McLaughlin, Hardt, Link, Ewen-Campen, and Chair Mbah.
Item 7: Hiring Practices for City Council and City Clerk Departments
The committee discussed an order regarding hiring practices and audits for positions within the City Council and City Clerk's departments.
Key Points from CAO Wells:
- Current Practice: Hiring panels for council-related positions currently include the Council President or a designee.
- Confidentiality: Wells cautioned against including outside residents on hiring panels due to the confidentiality of personnel records.
- Demographic Data: She noted that the city does not currently collect demographic data from all applicants to avoid bias and a "chilling effect" on recruitment.
Action: The item was kept in committee for further research and comparison with practices in neighboring cities like Boston and Cambridge.