Tuesday February 17, 2009
In case you think there’s no pressure heading the state Department of Social Services, Commissioner Mike Starkowski today began a medical leave. He’ll have coronary artery bypass surgery on Thursday.
The department expects him to be out for six weeks.
The DSS will be managed by Deputy Commissioner Claudette Beaulieu and Acting Deputy Commissioners James Wietrak and Frances Freer, the long-time DSS regional administrator for western Connecticut, whose office is in Bridgeport. Freer’s post will be in an acting position – specializing in budget and medical care – for no additional salary, during Starkowski’s leave. She gets $143,652.05 a year.
The DSS has 2,200-employees and a $4.9 billion budget.