Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock (Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post)
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has made a series of changes to his leadership team and switched to a different federal lobbyist in an effort he said was intended to make City Hall "better and faster."
Hancock changed the duties of his two deputy chiefs of staff, Evan Dreyer and Stephanie O'Malley, folded the efforts of his policy team into the communications team and chose the law firm of Greenberg Traurig to lead the city's federal lobbying efforts.
The mayor said the changes in his senior staff are not demotions. No one has been asked to leave the administration and everyone is keeping their same pay, he said.
"This is not designed to take anyone's job away," he said. "We are realigning some folks, realigning our
structure. Some folks are going to be taking on additional duties, some folks will share duties, and some will take on completely new roles."Hancock has been in office for about 18 months and has scored a series of accomplishments, including getting voters to approve a taxing measure that added about $44 million to the city's budget.
His moves are not unlike any mayor who readjusts his team. "Do we have it structured just right to accomplish what we need to accomplish?" he said.
"I have a very talented team. ... We've been together for almost two years. I know them a little better. I know their talents," Hancock added. "But I also know what we need and what we need to accomplish over the next 30 months, so I am trying to put people in the right place for the highest and best use."
O'Malley, who was Denver's clerk and recorder before resigning and becoming part of Hancock's team, will be focused more on administrative efforts and take oversight of regional affairs. She won't oversee cabinet or sub-cabinet positions ? those duties will fall to Chief of Staff Janice Sinden.
Dreyer, formerly Hancock's campaign manager and spokesman for Gov. Bill Ritter, will take on the aerotropolis project that the mayor has planned for land around Denver International Airport.
In the first 18 months of the administration, oversight of the city's 26 agencies were divided among Sinden, O'Malley, Dreyer, Chief Projects Officer Diane Barrett and Chief Performance Officer David Edinger.
"Now, we're just going to streamline it so I am touching more of those agencies," Sinden said. "We are just widening our stance, and I can get closer to the agencies to streamline their communication and accountability."
Hancock also said he will be forming a "good government committee" that will look at the charter and whether the city's structure "meets the demands of the 21st century."
This week, the city signed a two-year, $180,000 contract with Greenberg Traurig for federal lobbying. About a half-dozen firms had vied for the contract.
The price tag is cheaper than the $200,000 paid to Patton Boggs, which had been the lobbying firm chosen in 2003 by former Mayor John Hickenlooper.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367, jpmeyer@denverpost.com or twitter.com/jpmeyerdpost
Changes at City Hall
Evan Dreyer: Deputy chief of staff takes over Mayor Michael Hancock's aerotropolis project for land around Denver International Airport.
Stephanie O'Malley: Hancock's other deputy chief of staff and former clerk and recorder turns to administrative duties and oversight of regional affairs.
Janice Sinden: The mayor's chief of staff will now oversee cabinet and sub-cabinet issues, duties previously divided among five staffers.
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