UPDATE: Jones appoints deputy administrator

“The appointment would normally be sent to committee, but Graziano said doing that would not allow the council to vote until July 13. If approved, Marshall is expected to work full time beginning Aug. 1.“

Bypassing the council committee is further evidence of irregularities with the process and the inordinate haste with which the Mayor is attempting to force his choice on the City. A reasonable person would demand that all questions about Mr. Marshall’s engaging in authorized secondary employment in a previsou position, his degree from Syracuse, and any questions arising from the audit of his performance in Austin which is currently in progress be answered satisfactorily. In the report above, it is telling that there is no reference to the myriad “cloudy” areas in Marshall’s background.

I urge my fellow city taxpayers to contact your council representatives and demand that Marshall’s background be thoroughly vetted and satisfactory answers be obtained AND verified, before giving assent to this appointment.

The CAO appointment clearly resulted from a process where identity-politics, cronyism, and factors other than an objective evaluation of the candidates’ demonstrated performance, verifiable education, and effective/superior performance in present and past posts were considered. There simply are too many “red flags” and “clouds” surrounding both the process and Mr. Marshall’s performance in Austin and elsewhere for a reasonable person to conclude due diligence and prudent business principles were applied.

In addition:
1. The Mayor’s announcement seems to have been timed so that most Citizens who might wish to comment are unaware that the appointment will appear on tonight’s Council agenda.  They were asleep last night when WTVR reported the news at 11:00 and at work when the announcement above appeared on the RTD web site. Clearly, this was designed to preclude or severely limit citizen input.
2.  There is a well qualifed acting CAO whose background, performance, and character are already well known. Furthermore he knows the city, governmental players, needs, and city systems and procedures. Yet, he seems to have been passed over in favor of a candidate from elsewhere, whose background is severely clouded, and who has no knowledge of Richmond at all.
3.  Richmond consistently goes “outside” to fill higher level positions - as a result dedicated employees on the City payroll who aspire to and deserve promotions are overlooked or ignored. This severely inhibits recruiting and retention.
4. As if by the wave of some magic wand, council members Graziano and Tyler who earlier expressed reservations about Marshall’s background, suddenly, on WTVR last night at 11:00, joyfully proclaimed all their questions have been satisfactorily answered.  It is unlikely that answers were more than self-proclamations by Byron Marshall which have yet to be scrutinized, evaluated, or verified. 

So Richmond, as has often proven true in the past, will get another controversial city administrator whose background is severely clouded, and who will take months to “learn the ropes” if he even wishes to.

In short, business as usual.