Something that gets talked about a lot among city hall insidersâbut basically not at all among the rest of usâis how candidates for mayor plan to actually, you know, run the city. City employees worry about inexperienced or rudderless leadership of an organization with nearly 10,000 employees. They also wonder if they'll be fired.
Neither of the mayoral candidates this year have experience leading an organization even close to the size of the city. But Cary Moon is attempting to calm the nerves of city employees (and probably trying to win their votes while she's at it). Along with announcing the first four people who would serve on her transition team if she wins, Moon issued a letter to city employees, promising she doesn't plan mass firings if she takes office.
"I have no intention of changing things for the sake of change," Moon writes.
When former mayor Ed Murray took office and filled his cabinet, he fired several well-liked department heads, including the director of the Office for Civil Rights and the director of the Office of Film + Music.
"I will not be asking department directors for their immediate resignations when I take office, as some new mayors do," Moon writes. "Instead, I will ask for resumes and discussions to gain a better understanding of the experience and perspective they each bring to their jobs, and what they need to be successful. I will set expectations with department directors, empower them to do their jobs well, and ensure accountability in the event they do not."
Moon also promises to "structure the mayorâs office to be efficient, accountable and transparent to the city council, city management and the public," though she offers no specifics.
The mayoral election is November 7. Unlike a usual January inauguration, whoever wins this mayoral race will take office on November 28 when the election results are certified.
