Between Patrick administration officials searching for jobs and Governor-elect Charlie Baker’s hunt for talent to join him in the executive branch, the coffee shops and restaurants of Beacon Hill are humming with human resources activity. Baker has filled several prominent posts but hasn’t selected cabinet secretaries to oversee education, transportation, public safety and veterans affairs.
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Baker on Friday named banking executive Ron Walker to succeed Rachel Kaprielian as the state’s labor and workforce development secretary. Walker is founder and president of Next Street. The state transportation board chairman, John Jenkins, said Thursday he thinks Baker will keep acting transportation secretary Frank DePaola on board in that position.
Departing House members say goodbye this week as the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center gets an update on its search for a president and the penultimate jobs report reflecting on Governor Deval Patrick’s eight-year tenure is released.
Patrick next Thursday plans to take part in a criminal justice summit. State education officials are scheduled to tackle early literacy, standardized testing, and educator diversity issues. And Governor-elect Charlie Baker will continue to staff up his team.
Meanwhile, House leaders continue mulling over a budget-balancing bill while members of both branches attempt to quietly steer more bills to Patrick’s desk, knowing that all pending bills will die before a new Legislature is sworn in on Wednesday, January 7th.
For Susan Kaplan’s conversation with Matt Murphy about the week ahead on Beacon Hill, click the audio player above.