YOUNGSTOWN — Mayor-elect Derrick McDowell reappointed three department heads and named DeMaine Kitchen, who resigned in 2013 as the city’s chief of staff four days before a report determined he sexually harassed a female employee, as community planning and economic development director.

In addition to naming Kitchen to run the community planning and economic development department, McDowell announced Monday that he would reappoint Charles Shasho as deputy director of public works, Harry L. Johnson III as water commissioner and Michael Durkin as code enforcement and blight remediation superintendent. Shasho is the only appointment made by McDowell on an interim basis.

In a written statement, McDowell said: “Their individual and combined institutional knowledge and deep understanding of Youngstown’s many communities and the challenges our residents face makes them uniquely prepared for these respective roles. Under the guidance of a new vision and new leadership, their work is set to produce much more impactful results on behalf of our city’s residents.”

McDowell declined to comment Monday when specifically asked about Kitchen’s sexual harassment case.

While serving as chief of staff to then-Mayor Charles Sammarone, a Dec. 6, 2013, report conducted on behalf of the city concluded Kitchen sexually harassed a female employee for a number of years. Kitchen admitted he made inappropriate and flirtatious remarks to the woman both verbally and through text messages.

The city settled the lawsuit for $120,000 in June 2014. The city paid $50,000 to its insurance company.

Kitchen unsuccessfully ran in 2013 as an independent for mayor while the harassment claim was pending. The investigation commenced Oct. 4, 2013. During that mayoral campaign, Sammarone gave $4,000 in cash to Kitchen. State law doesn’t permit cash contributions of more than $100.

After Kitchen reported the contribution months past the filing deadline and it was reported as improper by The Vindicator, he refunded the cash to Sammarone, who then wrote a check to the failed campaign.

Kitchen, who resigned in August 2011 as 2nd Ward councilman to be Sammarone’s chief of staff, won the 2015 election for council president as a Democrat.

But with the Mahoning County Board of Elections prepared to not certify him during the 2019 Democratic primary for a lack of valid signatures, Kitchen withdrew and ran as a write-in candidate for the seat. He lost the write-in campaign to Tom Hetrick.

Kitchen’s biography on McDowell’s mayoral transition website states he is a licensed real estate professional and “a dedicated local leader committed to strengthening the community through smart economic development, job creation and responsible growth. With a deep understanding of local needs, he will work to ensure policies support small business, attract investment and create opportunities for residents and families.”

Kitchen will succeed Nikki Fields, who is outgoing Mayor Jamael Tito Brown’s community planning and economic development director and chief of staff. She declined to be interviewed by McDowell.

Jonathan Huff, the current civil service administrator, will be McDowell’s chief of staff when the mayor-elect’s term starts Jan. 1.

While McDowell named Shasho as his interim deputy director of public works — the mayor is the department’s director under the city charter though the deputy director runs it — Shasho is civil service protected. If McDowell chooses to demote Shasho, he would return to his old job as assistant commissioner of engineering, which is vacant.

Shasho has served as deputy director of public works since 2008.

Johnson, who has been water commissioner since December 2012, is retaining his job. He also is civil service protected and would have returned to his previous job as the water department’s office manager if McDowell hadn’t retained him.

Durkin wasn’t civil service protected and was appointed in April 2018 by Brown as code enforcement and blight remediation superintendent.

McDowell said he has “a few other remaining selections, including director of parks and recreation, and coordinator of downtown events and special projects.” He didn’t provide a timeline.

It is uncertain if McDowell will retain Clemate Franklin for the parks’ job and highly unlikely he will keep Melanie Clarke-Penella as downtown events coordinator.

Neither has civil service protection, so they would lose their city jobs if McDowell doesn’t keep them.

McDowell also has to decide whether to keep Kevin Flinn as buildings and grounds commissioner. Flinn doesn’t have civil service protection.

In addition to Monday’s appointments, McDowell on Nov. 25 named Huff as chief of staff, retained Kyle Miasek as finance director and promoted Adam Buente to law director from deputy law director.

McDowell on Dec. 12 selected new police and fire chiefs, promoting Detective Sgt. Sharon Cole to the former and Capt. Courtney Kelly to the latter. They are the first women in both positions.

Knowing McDowell wasn’t retaining him as fire chief, Barry Finley said a few weeks ago he would retire Dec. 31. Finley had previously retired and was immediately rehired by Brown.

Dec. 31 will also be the final day for current police Chief Carl Davis with McDowell choosing not to keep him. Davis also retired earlier this year with Brown immediately rehiring him.