Committee endorses deputy chief of staff position, sends bill to council

The Rules & City Government Committee voted to forward legislation creating a deputy chief of staff in the mayor’s office with a favorable recommendation to the full City Council.

Neely Garrity, chief of staff to the mayor, told the committee the proposed deputy would oversee policy portfolios (she cited housing as an example), improve intergovernmental coordination and serve as a single point of contact for the City Council. Garrity said the change would increase staff capacity, free the mayor and chief of staff to focus on strategic priorities and help ensure follow-through on city initiatives.

Garrity said a fiscal-impact note was prepared and the finance department indicated funding exists to cover the position; she also said she has requested the position be included in the FY2027 budget. Alderman Frank Thorpe said the role should handle urgent constituent matters while the chief of staff concentrates on higher-level strategy and praised Garrity for helping with day-to-day operations so far.

Committee members asked for clarity on how the deputy’s duties would differ from the city manager’s responsibilities and for details about recruitment and oversight. Garrity described the proposed operating model as two liaisons: the chief of staff as the conduit for city manager and department issues and the deputy as the council-facing liaison, with a cross-departmental hiring panel and rating matrix to reduce the risk of handpicked appointments.

After the presentation and questions, a committee member moved a favorable recommendation; the motion was seconded and the committee approved the recommendation by voice vote. The legislation will be transmitted to the full council for consideration.

The committee did not set a hiring timetable beyond noting the sponsor’s FY2027 budget request; members said they will continue to seek recruitment and budget details during council review.