District Mayor-elect Adrian Fenty announced Monday that he will eliminate three of four existing deputy mayor positions in an effort to streamline the government, raise accountability and reduce taxpayer costs.
Fenty said he is “streamlining, or consolidating, or downsizing the deputy mayor structure.” Wiping out the offices for public safety, for children, youth, families and elders, and for operations will save the District roughly $2 million a year, he said.
“In addition to saving resources,” he said, “we believe the government will work a lot better than having that appellate review over the agencies.”
The deputy mayor for economic development and planning is a statutory office and must be filled, in the case of the Fenty team by Neil Albert — a former deputy mayor under Mayor Anthony Williams. Fenty also is expected to add a deputy mayor for education.
“It is the view of the incoming administration that we are going to have direct accountability from the mayor and city administrator to the agency head,” Fenty said. “My feeling, the feeling of my team, is that if the agency heads can’t get it done, then the agency heads shouldn’t be running the agencies.”
Albert, who resigned a year ago from his position as deputy mayor for children, youth, families and elders, called Fenty’s move “absolutely necessary.”
“I think one of the best ways of delivering services to the community, to the residents, is kind of breaking down, kicking out the middle man … so that there’s an efficient delivery of services,” Albert said.
Two of three deputy mayors under Williams, Brenda Donald Walker and Stan Jackson, have already tendered their resignations. Ed Reiskin, deputy mayor for public safety, is currently serving as interim city administrator.
