Commission approves new director of information and community engagement position; charter changes expected

The Ithaca City Civil Service Commission approved a new position described as Director of Information and Community Engagement to oversee the information technology department and the city clerk’s office.

Commission staff explained the new position would separate the current dual role in which the IT director also served as city clerk. "We are working on restructuring the department with this new title overseeing the IT department and the clerk's office," a civil service staff member said. Commissioners were told the charter will be amended after the position is created to clarify supervision and reporting lines.

The new position was presented as a department head role with responsibilities that could include community engagement and permits normally handled by the clerk's office. Commissioners asked about supervision; staff said the position would report to the city manager and the common council once the charter amendment is completed.

The commission approved the classification by voice vote. No salary or specific effective date was stated in the discussion recorded in the transcript; the meeting packet contained a version of the duty statement labeled "director of information chief information security officer," which staff said matched the intended classification.

Staff noted the IT director will continue to serve as IT director under the reorganization and the clerk will continue in their role, but both would fall under the new department head for administrative supervision once the charter language is revised.