Gray retains three Fenty directors, adds others
Mayor Vincent C. Gray continued to nominate a mix of current agency directors and newcomers to build his administration.
Gray (D) announced that he would retain Steve Baron as director of the Department of Mental Health, Christophe Tulou as director of the Department of the Environment and Jesus Aguirre as director of the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Meanwhile, Gray has tapped Ollie Harper Jr., a deputy director in the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization, to take over as executive director. City Administrator Allen Y. Lew was Harper's predecessor.
Gray also nominated Terese Lowery, who worked in his office when he was council chairman, to head the Office of Women's Policy and Initiatives.
James Staton Jr., state purchasing officer for the North Carolina Department of Administration, will head the Office of Contracting and Procurement.
Under fire for high salaries of new staffers, Gray said none of those announced Wednesday would earn more than their predecessors. He joked that those "who are their predecessors" definitely would not earn more.
By
Nikita Stewart
| February 23, 2011; 2:18 PM ET
Categories:
D.C. Employees, Nikita Stewart, Vincent C. Gray
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This may well be the first major mistake of the Gray administration. Keeping Steve Baron on as Director of the Department of Mental Health. Baron has been less than willing to create the positive change that the city and our most vulnerable deserve.
Posted by: k.jarrell01@comcast.net | February 23, 2011 3:15 PM | Report abuse
So, Mayor Gray keeps on a few Fenty people. Is this cronyinsm too? Or is it cronyism only when he hires his own people?
Posted by: PepperDr | February 23, 2011 10:31 PM | Report abuse
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