Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola has requested a chief of staff be hired to assist him with special programs and initiatives, as well as conduct research and handle day-to-day operations of the mayor's office.
The position was advertised internally, only within the city manager's office at City Hall, for three days beginning Oct. 27. One employee applied -- Special Events Coordinator Phyllis Sherrie Dickerson. No hire has been made.
The position was advertised with an entry salary of $60,074 to $92,514.
Dickerson currently makes about $46,800, according to her application. She's worked in her current role for City Manager Bruce Moore for 10 years.
The city also is advertising for an assistant to the mayor. That position is open to external candidates, as well. Applications will be accepted through Tuesday.
The entry salary for the assistant position is listed at $44,302 to $68,225. The assistant will provide administrative, technical and professional support to the mayor, as well as serve as the liaison for the Mayor's Youth Council.
Stodola said Thursday that while both positions have new titles and job descriptions, he is not recommending a change in the number of jobs within city government. The assistant position is a title change from a previous management analyst position. The person who held that job recently resigned.
For the chief-of-staff position, Stodola is recommending that Dickerson be moved from the city manager's office to the mayor's office, leaving Moore with two special events coordinators.
"Over the course of being mayor, I have on occasion used the services of one of the three special projects staff in the city manager's office," Stodola said in an email Thursday. "I have observed over time that in my opinion, at least in part, they are not fully utilized. Hence, I have suggested that rather than add staff, one of the positions should be used to fill the mayor's chief of staff position to continue to do special projects for both the mayor and the city manager as the job description so provides, and to provide direct supervision to the staff positions assigned to me."
"This can be done with a very little increase in money," he added.
Moore did not respond to an email Thursday asking whether he would follow Stodola's recommendation or replace Dickerson with a new hire if she is given the chief-of-staff position. Moore's assistant said he was out of the office for meetings all day.
At-large City Director Joan Adcock questioned Moore about the chief-of-staff position at Tuesday night's Board of Directors meeting and asked him to explain what the position is and why it's needed.
Stodola said Thursday that the shuffle in job titles and duties would eliminate "dysfunction" that is taking place now. He said a projects manager assigned to him is reporting to the assistant city manager, and the secretary assigned to him is reporting to the city clerk. Stodola would keep his secretary, who answers calls and handles scheduling, even with the two new positions.
The city's Human Resources Department initially objected to the creation of a mayor's chief-of-staff position.
In an Oct. 8 memorandum to Stodola, Human Resources Director Stacey Witherell suggested that the position have a different name, such as office administrator or administrative manager.
In reply to that memo, Stodola sent an email to Moore on Oct. 14, saying the suggestions were not acceptable. He noted that the position of chief of staff for a mayor is common in other cities that have a city manager form of government, where the mayor's executive authority is increased. Unlike most mayors in such cities, Stodola has veto power.
"I want the position identified as I requested and a salary grade that is comparable to our Communications or Chief Service Officer positions," Stodola wrote.
"Bruce, we have always worked pretty well together the past 8+ years and while you might prefer something different, I really want and need this to happen and would like it to happen with your cooperation," Stodola said later in the email. "Ordinance 19,761 identifies the mayor as the chief executive officer of the city and it also increases the executive authority of the mayor including a directive that all powers and duties of the city manager shall be performed at the direction of the mayor.
"Thank you for your consideration. Please let me know if you have any questions, otherwise I need these 2 positions in place by November 1st," the email says.
Asked when hiring decisions would be made for the two positions, Stodola said by phone Thursday that he planned to make recommendations after the close of the application deadline for the assistant-to-the-mayor job.
Witherell, the Human Resources director, said in regard to the chief-of-staff position that it is common to advertise promotional opportunities only within the city or a certain department.
Dickerson submitted a 10-page application and resume package for the chief-of-staff position.
She has a master's degree in arts with a concentration in human resource development from Webster University and a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Central Arkansas.
Dickerson began working for the city in 2005.
From 2010 to 2014, she also occasionally took assignments on an as-needed basis from first lady Michelle Obama, according to her application package. Dickerson worked as a site advance staff member, meaning she prepared sites the first lady would visit and worked with the media and special attendees.
If selected as the mayor's chief of staff, her essential job duty would be to establish short- and long-term objectives for the mayor's programs and initiatives, as well as develop action plans to support issues of concern to the mayor.
"I believe this will improve follow through on a variety of matters, and direct accountability. [The chief-of-staff position] is common in many city manager styled cities where the mayor is full-time and has increased executive authority. I believe this should be viewed a just part of the evolutionary process," Stodola said by email.
Metro on 11/06/2015