D.C. Council members on Tuesday decided that they would not attempt to force the interim parks and recreation director, whom they rejected as unqualified to permanently lead the agency, out of the leadership post she still holds.
Spurred by the reappointment of Ximena Hartsock as the “interim” head of the Department of Parks and Recreation, council members instead offered new legislation that would bar future nominees from continuing to serve after their appointment was rejected by the legislative branch. The mayor instead would name an “acting subordinate agency head” to take his or her place.
It is “a better long-term solution” than battling with Mayor Adrian Fenty over Hartsock’s job, said Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas Jr., who introduced the bill with Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh.
“The situation we currently have at Parks and Recreation is unconscionable, that a director would be held over after this has happened,” said Thomas, who has oversight of DPR. “Unfortunately, we cannot go back and fix the law and force someone to do what we know is right.”
The proposed legislation will make the law “clear and more reasonable,” said Cheh, chairwoman of the government operations panel.
The measure demands that the mayor announce a new nominee for any agency within 60 days of council disapproval, or within 120 days from the date of a vacancy. If the deadline passes and no nominee is named, the acting chief can no longer be paid.
Ward 6 Councilman Tommy Wells did not co-sponsor the bill as he “didn’t see the need” for it, he told The Examiner. The proposal “potentially gives too much power” to a council committee chairman, Wells said, and a process as important as executive confirmations should not be changed “because of one mayor.”
The Fenty administration argued that Hartsock was a “stellar” candidate whose rejection was purely political, and some say racist. The council, however, took issue with her labor management skills, recreation experience and hiring practices.
Thomas has said Hartsock’s return allowed her to retaliate against workers who opposed her nomination.
“Help our workers and ensure when someone is disapproved or deemed by this council not fit to serve that it is clear they must vacate and not be paid for their services,” Thomas said, urging swift approval of the bill.
Other D.C. Council actions
» Temporarily halted money transfers between DPR and the independent D.C. Housing Authority, a contracting mechanism used by the Fenty administration to avoid legislative oversight
» Approved Gennet Purcell as commissioner of the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking
» Adopted omnibus election reform act, which includes same-day registration
A Fenty spokeswomen did not return requests for comment.
