Unexpected shake-up of corporate structure at Cambridge City Hall

Some changes have been made to the corporate structure at Cambridge City Hall.

The reorganization was announced to city council in an email on Friday, July 4, and it came into effect on Monday.

These aren’t earth-shattering changes, more adjustments to improve efficiency and some new titles. Included was also the creation of a new department, Community Services.

Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett did not consult with city council while developing the new plan. She was a guest on The Mike Farwell Show and said despite council not being involved, she didn’t come up with the changes on her own.

“I had a number of people who advised me and I did not want council being part of that because they don’t understand or they don’t have that same knowledge I have from being on the corporate leadership team of what potential problems we have.”

Liggett said she consulted with the City Manager, Deputy City Managers and a group of other senior members of the corporate leadership team.

She said another reason why councillors was excluded from the decision-making process because it falls outside their purview.

“Council has a job to do, they need to stick to that, the political end of it, the decision making. But, when it comes to the administration, council does not play a role in it. I know they’d like to, but they can’t. It’s sort of the division of church and state.”

When asked about the swift timeline between announcing the changes and the implementation, Liggett said there was a specific reason why.

“Our City Manager currently, is leaving at the end of August. We are in the middle of the job search for him. With that short timeline, we need to have everything in place for that new City Manager.”