Max Garbarino: A good choice to tackle many issues
On Tuesday, the city council voted to hire Interim City Manager Max Garbarino as the city’s new city manager.
The several other final candidates for the position didn’t come close to Garbarino’s experience, which he gained working for the city in various positions over the last several years.
Garbarino was the favored candidate all along, and, for those in the know, it was an easy choice.
He has developed deep roots and connections with Hamtramck’s many ethnic and racial communities, and the consensus is: most people like Max because he actually shows up at events and cares.
Max has his work cut out for him.
As always, Hamtramck has its financial challenges, but also has many financial wins over the years.
The city is undergoing a period of rebuilding its infrastructure, something that was started several years ago and continues to this day.
Hamtramck has a lot to overcome, what with rebuilding its aged water and sewer lines, as well as repaving its roads. Our entire infrastructure remained neglected for decades.
From what we hear, Hamtramck has a very good chance of winning more grants to complete, or nearly complete, upgrading our water and sewer system.
Once this is done, the city should not experience basement flooding whenever it rains. Hamtramck has already made significant progress with this.
Like we said, Max has his work cut out for him, and we wish him the best.
Now, let’s all get to work.
Posted Feb. 17, 2023
One Response to Max Garbarino: A good choice to tackle many issues
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Mark M. Koroi
February 23, 2023 at 5:58 pm
Why the Maxwell Garbarino appointment makes sense:
(A) he has a long history as a City of Hamtramck employee and knows the inner workings of municipal operations;
(B) Maxwell has established a rapport over the years with the minority communities;
(C) he earned a reputation as a likable supervisor when he led the police department – even though some may have not been so keen with his policies;
(D) the City of Hamtramck helped finance his law school studies – and would like to see a return on investment;
(E) some have seen him as being unfairly treated when he had an “administrative leave” imposed upon him by then-City Manager Katrina Powell in Feb. of 2015 and the award of the city manager position is way of righting what some perceive of a wrong.
Why some may not be so enthralled by the specter of Maxwell returning and receiving the CM position:
(A) we – the public – do not know why Maxwell received his administrative leave in this the first place and until someone comes clean regarding this mystery Mr. Garbarino should not be given the reins of power in running Hamtramck;
(B) his embracing of minorities could be viewed by some as injurious to “law and order” interests that like seeing strict enforcement of jaywalking, code enforcement and parking laws that generate revenue for city coffers at the pain and expense of predominantly minority residents;
(C) his mordant sense of humor and engaging style can be viewed as inconsistent with the solemn nature of the role of CM.