Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz appointed a new member to his staff Thursday to replace a current assistant to the mayor, who has accepted a position in another office.
Ray Harmon, who is currently the Special Projects Manager for Gov. Jim Doyle, will take over the assistant position on the mayor's staff Nov. 12.
He has served in the past as the director of Doyle's Milwaukee office and also worked in Madison as the director of new products and economic development for the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.
George Twigg, communications director for Cieslewicz, said Harmon's experience in both local and state government is expected to be very useful in the mayor's office.
"He has the background and temperament to be a great part of the team," Twigg said. "He'll be able to work on housing and economic development issues [that are] definitely important to us."
In addition to his experience working for WHEDA, Harmon has been the director of economic development for the Milwaukee Urban League, which has given him a strong background in economic policy.
Harmon's economic knowledge will be viewed positively for Cieslewicz, as his office has recently come under fire from the local business community, who criticized his selection of Bill Clingan as the director of economic and community development in Madison.
Local business organizations such as Smart Growth Madison and Downtown Madison Inc. have argued Clingan lacks the qualifications to lead the city's economy in the right direction for proper growth.
However, Harmon's exact role on Cieslewicz's staff is currently unknown, as he has not yet been assigned his responsibilities. According to Twigg, Harmon will be one of five staffers who will be reorganized and reassigned, each according to their personal skill sets.
Harmon will be filling the spot vacated by Enis Ragland, who has accepted the position of interim director of the Office of Community Services. Ragland said he is confident in Harmon as his replacement.
"He's got all the skill sets and abilities that are necessary for the job," Ragland said. "He's a good listener and a good ‘people person,' and he'll do well with those skills."
