Executive committee directs HR and legal to draft job descriptions for current structure and a peer model for special counsel

The Metro Council executive committee on April 15 instructed HR and legal to prepare functional job descriptions and draft contract language for two staffing configurations: the current special counsel serving as director and an "option 3" model that places the special counsel and a director/chief of staff as peers.

Vice Mayor / Chair Cash opened the meeting by reviewing an Accenture phase‑one packet of organizational options and asked staff to produce concrete drafts so the committee and full council could compare tradeoffs. "You have a packet in front of you ... that is our current state," the chair said while orienting members to the slides and the proposed leadership layers.

Members discussed workload and governance risks at length. Chair Tibs said she favored narrowing the special counsel role to legal work only: "I do like the idea of the special counsel just focusing on legal work." Chair Huffman urged support for option 3A, arguing the split would strengthen both legislative and administrative functions: "Option 3A makes a ton of sense to me," Huffman said, adding it would provide better legal support and reduce managerial burden on any single supervisor.

Brian, a staff member who advised the committee during the discussion, outlined risks of a dual co‑lead model, noting it could create "vulnerabilities" and would require clear mechanisms for resolving disagreements between administrative and legal leadership. Several members said the vice mayor and the executive committee would be the fallback authority to settle disputes if a peer model were adopted.

After discussion the committee voted on a motion directing HR and legal to draft job descriptions and preliminary contracts both for the status‑quo configuration and for option three (special counsel as a peer to a director/chief of staff). The motion was seconded and passed by raised hands, with seven members recorded in favor. The committee also agreed to have drafts returned for further review and possible affirmation by resolution or code change if the body proceeds.

The action is intended to provide the council with tangible contract and job‑description options before any final vote; members said formal changes could still require a resolution, charter/code revision, or subsequent council action. The committee also flagged a pending ordinance from Council Member Ellis that would codify the special counsel as director — a filing members noted intersects with the committee's work but will be handled separately.

Next steps include HR and legal completing the requested drafts and returning them to the executive committee for review, and later presenting materials to the full council for transparency and potential affirmation.