New Rochelle Moves to Abolish New Rochelle Civil Service Commission

Written By: Robert Cox

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Manager Charles B. Strome has recommended to the New Rochelle City Council abolish the Civil Service Commission and transfer the responsibility of implementing Civil Service regulations to the Commissioner of Human Resources.

The move has been in the works for more than two years but comes weeks after the passing longtime Commissioner Domenic Procopio on December 14, 2020.

The recommendation will be the subject of a Public Hearing on March 9th, via Zoom.

Christine Dodge was appointed by City Manager Strome on October 1, 2018, to be the Commissioner of Human Resources. Before joining the City of New Rochelle, Ms. Dodge was the Deputy Commissioner of Human Resources for the City of Yonkers.

The resolution states:

“In an effort to provide flexibility in hiring a workforce that reflects the diversity of the City, it is the determination of staff that the elimination of the local Civil Service Commission will allow the City to achieve better efficiency and provide a more streamlined hiring process in pursuit of this goal”

In addition to Procopio, Bishop Fetson Leak and Margaret Chadwick have served at the pleasure of New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson over the past 15 years.

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Long-Time New Rochelle Civil Service Commissioner Domenic Procopio Dies