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Warren administration requests resignations of top managers as she gets ready for new term

Some top officials in the administration of Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren have submitted their resignations. According to media reports, that includes the police and fire chiefs.

But a spokesman for City Hall says this is really not unusual. Communications Director James Smith issued this statement:

In the past, it has been the practice of some mayoral administrations to request the resignation of members of their senior management teams and to then reevaluate their service when deciding on appointments in their new term of office. Mayor Warren has adopted this same, common protocol as she prepares to transition to her next term.  All members of the senior management team, including myself, have offered letters of resignation for the end of this year.”

The D&C notes that while requesting resignations from senior staffers as a chief executive prepares for a new term is not unusual, although it has not always been the practice in Rochester. The newspaper says that Mayor Bob Duffy asked his top aides to resign in late 2009 in preparation for his 2nd term, while neither of his predecessors, mayors Bill Johnson and Tom Ryan took such action until the end of their final terms at the request of their successors.

The D&C also notes that Tom Richards, who won a special election to replace Duffy, accepted resignations from his top appointees after losing re-election to Warren in 2013.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.