As Smart Street Light Conversion Moves Forward, Mayor Walsh Appoints Ken Towsley to Manage the Network

Mayor names Jake Dishaw as new Director of Code Enforcement and Mediha Salkic to lead Central Permit Office

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh today announced a series of appointments in key positions related to progress, neighborhoods, and quality of life in the City of Syracuse.

Mayor Walsh named Ken Towsley, who has served as Director of the Division of Code Enforcement since 2013, to become the City’s first Street Lighting Manager, a new position to oversee the City’s newly-acquired smart street light network. Towsley, a licensed master electrician will be responsible for the maintenance and operation of Syracuse’s more than 17,400 street lights. He will work to ensure energy efficiency and aesthetics of the system. Towsley has over 10 years of experience as an electrician prior to his time with the City.

The City completed the acquisition of its street light network late last year and has already converted more than 80% of the system to energy efficient and cost-saving LED lighting, with installed “smart nodes.” The network serves as the backbone of the City’s “smart city” infrastructure which will improve the quality and efficiency of city services. The New York Power Authority has designated Syracuse as New York State’s Flagship Smart City.

The Mayor appointed Jake Dishaw, the City’s current Director of the Central Permit Office, to assume the role of Director of Code Enforcement. The Code Enforcement position is responsible for planning and administering residential and non-residential structure inspections and revitalization. Dishaw has led the Central Permit Office, a division of the Division of Code Enforcement, for the last two years and is credited with implementing a successful reorganization and introduction of new technology to the office. He is a former code inspector and worked in the department for 12 years.

Mayor Walsh named Mediha Salkic to become the Director of the Central Permit Office. Salkic joined the Central Permit Office in October 2019 as a Senior Project Manager. She has  extensive experience in project management and client service in multiple industries, and is pursuing accreditation as a certified project manager. She’s played a critical role in the office reorganization and technology integration.

“Good people drive progress in any organization, and that is true in city government. I’m proud that Syracuse has a deep pool of talented people who can take on these critical leadership roles,” said Mayor Walsh. “Ken Towsley’s extensive knowledge of this City and his experience as an electrical professional make him the ideal person to manage our street lighting. Jake Dishaw has been involved in code enforcement in the City since summer work in college and high school. He is respected, knowledgeable and deeply committed to the importance of code enforcement. Mediha Salkic brings broad private sector experience to the City and has played a critical role in the successful transformation occurring in the Central Permit Office. We are well positioned for success in each of these areas.”