ALBANY — The city’s budget director received a one-year waiver Tuesday that allows him to live outside of city.
The five-member residency board voted 4-1 to approve the waiver for Gideon Grande. Councilmember Owusu Anane was the lone opposition vote.
“This is a senior position, the salary that this gentleman is making, if he cannot find a place to live in this city, then no one else can find a place to live in this city and I have some concerns about that,” Anane said during the hearing.
Grande’s waiver is not the first time in recent years that high-level city employees have not wanted to live in the city. In 2018, former acting Police Chief Robert Sears said part of the reason he did not apply to become the permanent police chief was because of the city’s residency requirement. He had young children at the time and did not want to uproot his family.
The waiver also highlights the city’s difficulties in finding qualified candidates for jobs. Last month, city officials launched a large-scale recruitment campaign in an effort to fill some of the 200 vacancies across city departments.
Grande assumed the role as the head of the city’s budget office last July, leaving a job as the deputy budget director for Westchester County. His 2023 salary is $125,000.
Rachel McEneny, the director of Administrative Services, advocated during the hearing for Grande to receive the waiver, arguing his abilities were critical to the city’s finances. She said his experience at the county and state level markedly improved the city’s budget process last year.
“When you have talent that surrounds you, the whole city will grow holistically,” she said. “I think his record stands on itself.”
Grande was responsible for several financial initiatives in the past year to help the city retain long-time employees,…
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