As promised in his inaugural address, Mayor Bloomberg is ordering top deputies at city agencies to participate in a three-week inter-agency swap. According to the plan—which found its inspiration in the mayor's financial days, not in key parties of yore—each deputy will spend the time improving management practices at their host agency. This could get ugly!
But Mayor Bloomberg says it won't. According to a statement made by the mayor, the agency swaps shouldn't be disruptive since each was assigned with a specific task in mind. The NY Times reported that, for example, Alba Pico, first deputy commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs, is switching spots with Douglas Apple, first deputy commissioner at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, to work on the city’s efforts to prevent foreclosure.
And Lori Benson, director of fitness and health education for the Department of Education, is swapping with Liam Kavanagh, first deputy commissioner at the Department of Parks and Recreation, to work on children’s recreation and reducing childhood obesity. What would be really cool, though, would be if the head of the Department of Youth and Community Development switched with the Department for the Aging and taught old ladies how to rap!
