Just 14 months after the city-parish announced the hire of six “rock star” administrators to run the six independent departments created when the former Department of Public Works was reorganized, half of those administrators have resigned. Some didn’t even last a full year on the job.
Chief Administrative Officer William Daniel says there isn’t a single factor behind the departure of the three administrators, who were touted at the time of their hiring for their impressive credentials. He says each had a different reason for leaving the positions, which paid, on average, $125,000.
Chris Burnett, who was director of the maintenance department, left his post early this year. The former Starbucks manufacturing executive took a position at Ken’s Foods in the Atlanta, Georgia area, according to LinkedIn. Daniel says the company made him an offer that was too good to refuse.
“Chris was extremely talented and someone offered to double his salary,” Daniel says.
Stephanie Rivers, a former U.S. Army officer with experience in operations, maintenance and intelligence, left her position as director of buildings and grounds in March, nine months after her hire. She relocated to New Orleans, where she worked for six months at a networking company, according to her LinkedIn page. She is currently seeking a new opportunity.
Karen Khonsari, who headed the department of environmental services, resigned from her position in September. Her department was in charge of overseeing the debris removal process in the wake of the August flood. Daniel says she resigned for personal reasons but had been doing “a great job.”
Attempts to reach the three former administrators were unsuccessful.
Carey Chauvin, a longtime employee of the former DPW and one of the six department heads—he is director of development and is also the assistant chief administrative officer for the parish—says the loss of his colleagues has posed a challenge. But he says the departments have tapped interim directors, who are doing a good job picking up where their predecessors left off.
“We’re managing,” he says. “I don’t know of any serious issues we’ve seen as a result of the departures.”
Both he and Daniel say they don’t think the departures are a reflection of the reorganization or any difficulties that may have arisen during the transition from one department to six. On the contrary, both say the new system is working well.
“It continues to be more efficient and more focused,” Chauvin says. “Directors are able to focus solely on their department, as opposed to the single director system, who was responsible for everything. It was just a monumental task.”
But at least one Metro Council member says the turnover is concerning.
“I don’t know what’s going on over there,” says council member Chandler Loupe. “I can’t keep track of who’s in charge of what or who to call.”
The situation isn’t likely to change any time soon. The six department directors serve at the pleasure of the mayor and with a mayoral election scheduled for later this fall, Daniel says no new administrators will be hired until the new administration takes office in January.
—Stephanie Riegel
