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Metro Council special counsel to leave; interim named and consultant engagement outlined
Summary
Margaret Darby, special counsel and director for the Metro Council office, told the Executive Committee she will leave at the end of the month. Brian Wilson will serve in an interim capacity while the office plans a posted search and a bifurcated Accenture consultancy to assess operations.
Margaret Darby, the Metro Council’s special counsel and director, told the Executive Committee that her four‑year contract ends this month and that she will move to the private sector, offering to assist with a transition to her successor. "My contract...is 4 years...it's coming to an end at the end of this month, and I am going to be heading out into private sector," she said.
The vice mayor and several council members thanked Darby for her service and said Brian Wilson will step into the role on an interim basis. Wilson told the committee he is "grateful to have the opportunity to serve the body in this interim period" and looks forward to working with staff and members during the handoff.
The committee discussed how to fill the post permanently. The vice mayor said the office intends to post the special counsel/director job rather than select a successor informally and will coordinate with Metro HR; members debated whether to seek a four‑year contract or a shorter-term appointment that would provide flexibility during a parallel consulting engagement. "If we are to post the position, there may be...some nod to that this work is in progress," the vice mayor said.
Separately, the committee outlined a consulting contract with Accenture that is deliberately bifurcated. Part 1 — a compressed operational assessment focused on current workflows, staffing and deliverables — is slated for December through February. Part 2 would only proceed if needed and could expand in scope if legal or operational circumstances require it. Committee members asked that the consultant emphasize the current 40‑member council configuration and focus front‑loaded deliverables on immediate operational improvements.
The vice mayor told members the hire for the permanent role is targeted for early February so the new director could follow the full legislative cycle. The committee also discussed precedent for interim compensation and asked staff to formalize pay and contract-length details for Wilson’s interim service.
Next steps: the office will circulate a final version of the job posting and the statement of work for the Accenture engagement, solicit members’ feedback and aim to finalize agreements within the week. Members asked that any changes be emailed to the committee before signing.
