Incoming Columbus mayor Jim Lienhoop has announced most of the new leadership team he will bring with him when he takes office at the start of the year. Most of Mayor Kristen Brown’s department heads will stay in the same positions, with only a few changes.
Mary Ferdon will be the new director of administration and head of the office of community development. Ferdon was most recently the director of Volunteers in Medicine. She served briefly as Mayor Brown’s director of community development. She will replace Jeff Logston and Carl Malysz.
Former city engineer Dave Hayward will return as executive director of public works and city engineer. He served as city engineer under three prior adminstrations. He will replace Beth Fizel, who replaced him when he resigned from Mayor Brown’s administration.
Lienhoop announced that he would no longer have a full-time city attorney. Instead, Alan Whitted will be a part-time attorney for the city, maintaining his private practice and sharing some of the city work with other attorneys in the practice. Logston has been handling the city attorney duties under Mayor Brown.
Lienhoop also announced that he is still looking for a fire chief and interviews are still in progress.
Department heads staying in their positions in the new administration include:
- Aviation Director — Brian Payne
- ColumBuS Transit Director — Cindy Setzer
- Columbus Housing Authority Dir. — Deborah Holt
- Columbus Utilities Director — Keith Reeves
- Human Rights Commission Director — Aida Ramirez
- Parks and Recreation Director — Mark Jones
- Planning Director — Jeff Bergman
- Police Chief — Jon Rohde
- Public Works Director — Bryan Burton
- Redevelopment Director — Heather Pope
Stan Gamso will also continue as the attorney for the Columbus Redevelopment Commission.