Joe Delaney promoted to Division Chief

At a public meeting on October 8, 2020, Executive Director Karen Wells announced the formation of a new Division of Community Affairs within the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

Formerly known as the Ombudsman’s office, the new Division of Community Affairs’ functions include the management of the multi-million dollar Community Mitigation Fund grant program; compliance oversight of casino licensee commitments to the MGC, the state and local communities; coordination of quarterly and annual reports by casino licensees; and management of the casino license renewal process and interim evaluation process.

The Division of Community Affairs will also support and plan for various advisory committees and subcommittees, and serve as a community liaison on MGC activities, programs and priorities.

“Now that the casino licenses have been awarded and the three casinos are up and running, the functions have somewhat shifted from the original role of the Ombudsman,” said Karen Wells. “So, we are no longer going to have that title of the Ombudsman’s office, and we are creating the Division of Community Affairs.”

During the announcement, Executive Director Wells informed the Commission that Construction Project Oversight Manager Joe Delaney had been promoted to the position of Chief of the Division of Community Affairs.

Delaney has been with the Commission since 2016 as the MGC’s Construction Project Oversight Manager and began overseeing the Ombudsman’s office’s activities in March of 2020.

“I would like to acknowledge the outstanding job that Joe Delaney has done for this Commission, what kind of person he is, what kind of leadership he provides to the Commission,” said Executive Director Wells. “I am thrilled to be able to announce this promotion. I just want to congratulate Joe, and publicly acknowledge that we have moved into this new era of the Division of the Community Affairs.”

From 2006 until 2016, Delaney served as the Deputy Director of Municipal Services for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. In that position, he was a Senior Manager in the State Revolving Fund Loan Program, providing more than $400 million per year in low-interest rate financing for cities and towns for water and sewer infrastructure projects. He also holds a degree in civil engineering from Northeastern University.

“Congratulations to Joe on the great job that he does, and the promotion that now reflects a lot of the work that he has already been undertaking the last few months on the Community Mitigation Fund process,” said Commissioner Enrique Zuniga.

“We’ve all seen firsthand his work and his ability to step up when we needed him to do some really important work for the Commission, and he has done that,” said Commissioner Gayle Cameron. “I’m very happy for Joe, and it’s much deserved.”

For more information on the MGC’s Division of Community Affairs, click here.