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City manager announces Office of Youth Opportunities, promotions and hiring as council hears report on youth employment
Summary
City Manager Marcus Jones outlined a new Office of Youth Opportunities, reported summer employment for 400 young people, and announced promotions including a permanent budget director and a new chief financial officer and director of procurement.
City Manager Marcus Jones told Charlotte City Council on Aug. 25 that the city has created an Office of Youth Opportunities to consolidate youth employment, engagement and safety work that had previously been spread across departments.
Jones said the new office will align career exploration, resource connections and violence-prevention efforts. He told the council the city provided paid summer employment and career exploration opportunities this year for 400 young people and is developing two additional career pathways: an access pathway for people 18 and older (leasing and apartment maintenance) and a business and entrepreneurship pathway for 14- to 15-year-olds.
In the manager’s personnel announcements, Jones said Marie Harris — previously interim budget director — is now the permanent budget director and Matt Hastet has been promoted to chief financial officer; Teresa (Teresa’s last name not recorded on the public audio) will retire Sept. 30 and will support transition work. He also announced Cheryl Wright as the city’s new director of contracting and procurement.
Jones noted that procurement and contracting functions were reorganized in the recent budget and that animal care and control moved to General Services; he said the move aims to make fostering and other services more accessible and that staff are planning an adoption center investment estimated at about $30,000,000.
Council members asked for updates on the police chief search process and Jones said surveys of the council, CMPD and the public will be part of the selection process. Several council members asked to be engaged with the new youth office as it develops programs that aim to reduce youth violence and increase career opportunities.
Jones said the city will complete a gap analysis on small-business participation related to transit projects and on workforce opportunities tied to long-term transit investments and that staff expect to report results by September.
