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Latest McGinn Announcements: Re-Centralization of Power

City Hall, Politics   January 4, 2010 at 3:25 pm Erica C. Barnett

Earlier today, Mayor Mike McGinn issued four executive orders putting strict new limits on city departments’ ability to hire, fire, and give raises to their employees. The orders also place department managers under a hiring freeze and require mayoral vetting of all consultant contracts.

It’s hard to know exactly what the implications of such a policy would be. The language of the orders, if interpreted strictly, would require mayoral approval of all departmental hiring decisions; mayoral approval of all salary offers for positions ranked manager or above; and mayoral approval of all “consulting contracts,” a category that potentially includes hundreds of contracts a year. Taken together, the orders potentially amount to a tremendous re-centralization of power over hiring and contracting within the mayor’s office.

UPDATE: At today’s post-inauguration schmoozefest at City Hall, McGinn spokesman Mark Matassa said he wasn’t sure how far-reaching the orders would be in practice. Asked how directly the mayor’s office would be involved in departmental hiring and contracting decisions, Matassa said, “I’m not sure the answer to that.”

During the campaign, McGinn vowed to cut the number of strategic advisers at the city in half (a reduction of about 100 staff); however, as I’ve written before, “strategic adviser” is a pretty vague category (sort of like “mayoral staff assistant”) that includes everything from civil engineers to public-relations staff to the entire central staff of the city council.

Meanwhile, McGinn just rolled out the latest list of his staff appointments and salaries. No big surprises on the list (included in full below)—many McGinn volunteers now have full-time jobs in the administration, and several previously announced appointments are now official. Those appointments include nine new mayoral staff assistants and five strategic advisers.

Full list of the McGinn appointees announced today below the jump.

Mayor’s Office

$ 65,000         Birkholz, Elizabeth          Project manager

$ 65,000         Burson, Alison                  Executive assistant

$ 65,000         Close, Ainsley                    Strategic adviser

$ 75,000         Cramer, Jennifer              Strategic adviser

$ 51,406         Day, Elliott                         Mayoral staff assistant

$ 70,000         Deehr, Rebecca                Strategic adviser

$ 75,000         Farmer, Derek                  Strategic adviser

$ 51,406         Fishbone, Aaron               Mayoral staff assistant

$125,000*      Fujii, Phil                          Deputy mayor for operations

$100,000       Inagi, Candace                  Labor and community liaison

$125,000       Marquardt, Carl                Legal counsel

$100,000       Matassa, Mark                  Communications director

$125,000       McCoy, Julie                      Chief of staff

$ 45,000         Merrill, Nathaniel            Mayoral staff assistant

$ 51,406         Nance, Jen                          Mayoral staff assistant

$ 55,000         Pickus, Aaron                    Mayoral staff assistant

$125,000       Raup, Ethan                        Director of policy and external affairs

$125,000       Smith, Darryl                      Deputy mayor for community

$ 51,406         Stanley, Becky                    Mayoral staff assistant

$ 45,000         Thomas, April                   Mayoral staff assistant

$ 51,406         Villarreal,Sol                      Community engagement coordinator

City Budget Office

$125,000       Goldberg, Beth

$100,000       Maxwell, Nicholas

$ 90,000         Taylor, Tom

$100,000       Walker, Hall

Human Services Department

$125,000       Tokuda, Kip

Office of Intergovernmental Relations

$100,000       Engelking, Craig

$115,000       Lowe, Marco


  • Michael M.

    Super-centralization…it’s like Nickels-heavy (no pun intended)

  • Michael M.

    Super-centralization…it’s like Nickels-heavy (no pun intended)

  • Michael M.

    Super-centralization…it’s like Nickels-heavy (no pun intended)

  • http://twitter.com/dalbrightvideo david albright

    where’s the staff videographer?

  • http://twitter.com/dalbrightvideo david albright

    where’s the staff videographer?

  • http://twitter.com/dalbrightvideo david albright

    where’s the staff videographer?

  • reblog

    Ethan Raup is getting paid 125,000? For what, promising to screw up the Mayor’s office as badly as he screwed up working for Ron Sims?

    Another overpaid do nothing who has no experience doing anything but sucking off on the public’s tit, taking big pay and offering nothing but bullshit. And Marco Lowe is a hack holdover from the awful Nickels administration.

    Congratulations, Seattle, you elected an even bigger fuck-up to office. You all need to be congratulated as you’ve truly elected a fucked up, bloated government run by a moron, surrounded by dense insiders who’ve fucked up this city since the Norm Rice years. Good job, gang.

  • reblog

    Ethan Raup is getting paid 125,000? For what, promising to screw up the Mayor’s office as badly as he screwed up working for Ron Sims?

    Another overpaid do nothing who has no experience doing anything but sucking off on the public’s tit, taking big pay and offering nothing but bullshit. And Marco Lowe is a hack holdover from the awful Nickels administration.

    Congratulations, Seattle, you elected an even bigger fuck-up to office. You all need to be congratulated as you’ve truly elected a fucked up, bloated government run by a moron, surrounded by dense insiders who’ve fucked up this city since the Norm Rice years. Good job, gang.

  • reblog

    Ethan Raup is getting paid 125,000? For what, promising to screw up the Mayor’s office as badly as he screwed up working for Ron Sims?

    Another overpaid do nothing who has no experience doing anything but sucking off on the public’s tit, taking big pay and offering nothing but bullshit. And Marco Lowe is a hack holdover from the awful Nickels administration.

    Congratulations, Seattle, you elected an even bigger fuck-up to office. You all need to be congratulated as you’ve truly elected a fucked up, bloated government run by a moron, surrounded by dense insiders who’ve fucked up this city since the Norm Rice years. Good job, gang.

  • Michael M.

    @3 – that wasn’t very nice. A little less “fucking” would get your point across a bit better, I assure you.

  • Michael M.

    @3 – that wasn’t very nice. A little less “fucking” would get your point across a bit better, I assure you.

  • Michael M.

    @3 – that wasn’t very nice. A little less “fucking” would get your point across a bit better, I assure you.

  • G&T drinker

    So much fodder, where to begin…

    While the City’s webpage says Mayor McGinn in a few spots (especially the new Mayor’s page) in most cases, Nickels still appears to be mayor. How long should it take to update a common tag?

    These Executive Orders – can one read them anywhere or are they secret? They’re not posted yet.

    The Mayor wants City Departments to reduce the number of directors, but apparently he does not have to do the same himself. The Council did a bit of this for him, but still.

    Last, what are the bona fides of the new strategic advisors in the Mayor’s Office? Will all SAs be held to the same standards?

    I do wish the new mayor well, but for all his talking about input and transparency, I was hoping for better.

  • G&T drinker

    So much fodder, where to begin…

    While the City’s webpage says Mayor McGinn in a few spots (especially the new Mayor’s page) in most cases, Nickels still appears to be mayor. How long should it take to update a common tag?

    These Executive Orders – can one read them anywhere or are they secret? They’re not posted yet.

    The Mayor wants City Departments to reduce the number of directors, but apparently he does not have to do the same himself. The Council did a bit of this for him, but still.

    Last, what are the bona fides of the new strategic advisors in the Mayor’s Office? Will all SAs be held to the same standards?

    I do wish the new mayor well, but for all his talking about input and transparency, I was hoping for better.

  • G&T drinker

    So much fodder, where to begin…

    While the City’s webpage says Mayor McGinn in a few spots (especially the new Mayor’s page) in most cases, Nickels still appears to be mayor. How long should it take to update a common tag?

    These Executive Orders – can one read them anywhere or are they secret? They’re not posted yet.

    The Mayor wants City Departments to reduce the number of directors, but apparently he does not have to do the same himself. The Council did a bit of this for him, but still.

    Last, what are the bona fides of the new strategic advisors in the Mayor’s Office? Will all SAs be held to the same standards?

    I do wish the new mayor well, but for all his talking about input and transparency, I was hoping for better.

  • skipper

    “Nickels-heavy” – good one Michael.

  • skipper

    “Nickels-heavy” – good one Michael.

  • skipper

    “Nickels-heavy” – good one Michael.

  • hey folks

    the new mayor cut 200 positions and you’re worred whether someone making $70K maybe should be only getting 60K?

    the dude just cut 200 high level positions.

    200 positions.

    200.

  • hey folks

    the new mayor cut 200 positions and you’re worred whether someone making $70K maybe should be only getting 60K?

    the dude just cut 200 high level positions.

    200 positions.

    200.

  • hey folks

    the new mayor cut 200 positions and you’re worred whether someone making $70K maybe should be only getting 60K?

    the dude just cut 200 high level positions.

    200 positions.

    200.

  • Good Grief

    @7 — We’ll see. Bold proclamation, but he didn’t cut them — he told other people to go and cut them. I hope someone follows up to see what actually comes to pass.

  • Good Grief

    @7 — We’ll see. Bold proclamation, but he didn’t cut them — he told other people to go and cut them. I hope someone follows up to see what actually comes to pass.

  • Good Grief

    @7 — We’ll see. Bold proclamation, but he didn’t cut them — he told other people to go and cut them. I hope someone follows up to see what actually comes to pass.

  • jeff

    @5 of the four strategic advisors I know three

    Ainsley was in a grad program (environment and public policy?) until she dropped out of school to run his campaign

    Derek is a former military intelligence officer.

    Rebecca was the director of Feet First.

    From what I saw on the campaign they are a pretty capable bunch.

  • jeff

    @5 of the four strategic advisors I know three

    Ainsley was in a grad program (environment and public policy?) until she dropped out of school to run his campaign

    Derek is a former military intelligence officer.

    Rebecca was the director of Feet First.

    From what I saw on the campaign they are a pretty capable bunch.

  • jeff

    @5 of the four strategic advisors I know three

    Ainsley was in a grad program (environment and public policy?) until she dropped out of school to run his campaign

    Derek is a former military intelligence officer.

    Rebecca was the director of Feet First.

    From what I saw on the campaign they are a pretty capable bunch.

  • Mickymse

    I think you might be rushing it a little, Erica.

    Give it some time to see if McGinn is really planning to exert control over all hiring and firing and creation of positions… or if it’s just a strict way of making sure that the budget and position reductions occur, and his staff are simply going to be made aware of any changes that might reverse the reductions.

  • Mickymse

    I think you might be rushing it a little, Erica.

    Give it some time to see if McGinn is really planning to exert control over all hiring and firing and creation of positions… or if it’s just a strict way of making sure that the budget and position reductions occur, and his staff are simply going to be made aware of any changes that might reverse the reductions.

  • Mickymse

    I think you might be rushing it a little, Erica.

    Give it some time to see if McGinn is really planning to exert control over all hiring and firing and creation of positions… or if it’s just a strict way of making sure that the budget and position reductions occur, and his staff are simply going to be made aware of any changes that might reverse the reductions.

  • Brian Apple

    Please note — McGinn has not cut any positions yet — he wants to cut management and strategic advisors.

    And did you know that one of the four appointed to the budget office is a felon (look up the names). Way to go McGinn!

  • Brian Apple

    Please note — McGinn has not cut any positions yet — he wants to cut management and strategic advisors.

    And did you know that one of the four appointed to the budget office is a felon (look up the names). Way to go McGinn!

  • Brian Apple

    Please note — McGinn has not cut any positions yet — he wants to cut management and strategic advisors.

    And did you know that one of the four appointed to the budget office is a felon (look up the names). Way to go McGinn!

  • TheNewGay

    Does this apply retroactively to the new City Attorney and the hires he made before officially taking office?

  • TheNewGay

    Does this apply retroactively to the new City Attorney and the hires he made before officially taking office?

  • TheNewGay

    Does this apply retroactively to the new City Attorney and the hires he made before officially taking office?

  • trent

    someone might want to ask how many of those 200 positions he promises to cut are already vacant. nice sleight of hand.

    looks like the mayor’s office has doubled or tripled in size. he’s going to need all of those new mayoral staffers to review the hundreds of contracts that are issued every year throughout the city.

    so is this reform? or a recipe for paralysis?

  • trent

    someone might want to ask how many of those 200 positions he promises to cut are already vacant. nice sleight of hand.

    looks like the mayor’s office has doubled or tripled in size. he’s going to need all of those new mayoral staffers to review the hundreds of contracts that are issued every year throughout the city.

    so is this reform? or a recipe for paralysis?

  • trent

    someone might want to ask how many of those 200 positions he promises to cut are already vacant. nice sleight of hand.

    looks like the mayor’s office has doubled or tripled in size. he’s going to need all of those new mayoral staffers to review the hundreds of contracts that are issued every year throughout the city.

    so is this reform? or a recipe for paralysis?

  • Jane B

    The Executive Order states that the Mayor’s Office has to review every single request to advertise or fill ALL positions. There must be over 10,000 positions at the City. The Exec Order states that the Mayor’s Office must review every single contract (new, renewal or modifications). There must be thousands of city contracts. I wonder if the Mayor’s Office has any idea of the huge volume of position and contract changes they are going to be reviewing. I don’t think they’re going to have time to do anything else. Wow.

  • Jane B

    The Executive Order states that the Mayor’s Office has to review every single request to advertise or fill ALL positions. There must be over 10,000 positions at the City. The Exec Order states that the Mayor’s Office must review every single contract (new, renewal or modifications). There must be thousands of city contracts. I wonder if the Mayor’s Office has any idea of the huge volume of position and contract changes they are going to be reviewing. I don’t think they’re going to have time to do anything else. Wow.

  • Jane B

    The Executive Order states that the Mayor’s Office has to review every single request to advertise or fill ALL positions. There must be over 10,000 positions at the City. The Exec Order states that the Mayor’s Office must review every single contract (new, renewal or modifications). There must be thousands of city contracts. I wonder if the Mayor’s Office has any idea of the huge volume of position and contract changes they are going to be reviewing. I don’t think they’re going to have time to do anything else. Wow.

  • Jane B

    And I have to laugh at all the people who thought Nickels was too controlling….

  • Jane B

    And I have to laugh at all the people who thought Nickels was too controlling….

  • Jane B

    And I have to laugh at all the people who thought Nickels was too controlling….

  • http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Baker/150568099583 Mr.Baker

    Nit-picking 200 positions is pointless when facing a 40+ million dollar deficit next year.

  • http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Baker/150568099583 Mr.Baker

    Nit-picking 200 positions is pointless when facing a 40+ million dollar deficit next year.

  • http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Baker/150568099583 Mr.Baker

    Nit-picking 200 positions is pointless when facing a 40+ million dollar deficit next year.

  • Strategic Voter

    Wow. Sol Villarreal, Community Engagement Coordinator at $51,406, the lowest rung on the ladder?

    Does this speak to the importance that Mayor McGinn places on community engagement? It would be hard to conclude otherwise.

  • Strategic Voter

    Wow. Sol Villarreal, Community Engagement Coordinator at $51,406, the lowest rung on the ladder?

    Does this speak to the importance that Mayor McGinn places on community engagement? It would be hard to conclude otherwise.

  • Strategic Voter

    Wow. Sol Villarreal, Community Engagement Coordinator at $51,406, the lowest rung on the ladder?

    Does this speak to the importance that Mayor McGinn places on community engagement? It would be hard to conclude otherwise.

  • http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Baker/150568099583 Mr.Baker

    He coulda cut that too.

  • http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Baker/150568099583 Mr.Baker

    He coulda cut that too.

  • http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Baker/150568099583 Mr.Baker

    He coulda cut that too.

  • johnmocha

    Step 1:
    Make it clear that you are in charge.

    Step 2:
    Make it clear that you have no idea how to manage.

    Step 3:
    Step 2 makes it clear that Step 1 was a misstep.

  • johnmocha

    Step 1:
    Make it clear that you are in charge.

    Step 2:
    Make it clear that you have no idea how to manage.

    Step 3:
    Step 2 makes it clear that Step 1 was a misstep.

  • johnmocha

    Step 1:
    Make it clear that you are in charge.

    Step 2:
    Make it clear that you have no idea how to manage.

    Step 3:
    Step 2 makes it clear that Step 1 was a misstep.

  • West Seattle Waiter

    whats really amazing is that Mark Matassa couldn’t even explain what they did on the first day and neither can anyone else. day one — screw up.

    day two — explain to everyone what day one was all about and “i will revisit the executive orders after a period of implementation”

  • West Seattle Waiter

    whats really amazing is that Mark Matassa couldn’t even explain what they did on the first day and neither can anyone else. day one — screw up.

    day two — explain to everyone what day one was all about and “i will revisit the executive orders after a period of implementation”

  • West Seattle Waiter

    whats really amazing is that Mark Matassa couldn’t even explain what they did on the first day and neither can anyone else. day one — screw up.

    day two — explain to everyone what day one was all about and “i will revisit the executive orders after a period of implementation”

  • Where are the Women?

    ACtually, offically McGinn said that:
    A review process will identify senior-level positions for elimination OR reclassification.
    So apparently if they are not called SA’s anymore, that is good enough.

    But, truly, you don’t get to cutting $40M by cutting 200 positions.

  • Where are the Women?

    ACtually, offically McGinn said that:
    A review process will identify senior-level positions for elimination OR reclassification.
    So apparently if they are not called SA’s anymore, that is good enough.

    But, truly, you don’t get to cutting $40M by cutting 200 positions.

  • Where are the Women?

    ACtually, offically McGinn said that:
    A review process will identify senior-level positions for elimination OR reclassification.
    So apparently if they are not called SA’s anymore, that is good enough.

    But, truly, you don’t get to cutting $40M by cutting 200 positions.