The Daily Hustle: 2/22/11

The city fills one position, and solicits input on another. Today, the Hustle catches up with the hiring of a new Contract & Land Management director, and the search for a Health and Human Services head.

First of all, Marc Ott announced on Friday his selection for the C&LM position, acting director Rosie Truelove. (You really can’t beat that name, especially so close to Valentines Day.) From the city:

City Manager Marc Ott today, Feb. 18, selected the leadership team for the Department of Contract and Land Management, elevating interim Director Rosie Truelove and Acting Assistant Director Rolando Fernandez to those positions.

Both have served in their current positions since October when former Director Mike Trimble moved to the newly created Capital Planning Office. Truelove had served as Contract Procurement Division Manager under Trimble.

"As you know, these two have been directing the department for the past few months on an interim basis and have done an extraordinary job over that time," Ott said. "I believe both will effectively continue our work towards being the best managed city in the country."

Truelove has played critical roles in developing and implementing leading practices in capital project delivery, contract administration and Minority Business Enterprises/Women Business Enterprises (MBE/WBE) initiatives.

Truelove began with the City more than a decade ago as an intern in the Information Systems Department (now Communications and Technology Management). She served as an IT Asset Manager before becoming an Executive Assistant in the City Manager’s Office.

She managed the Director’s staff in the Public Works Department before transferring to the Contract and Land Management Department when it was formed in June 2005. She has earned a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas.

Contract and Land Management oversaw more than $316 million in construction and professional services contracts in 2010. The department has approximately 45 employees.

In addition, the city wants your input on what our news H&HS director should look like, with an open house scheduled for next week:

City officials have rescheduled a community input session to Feb. 28 to help define the characteristics/qualifications for a new Health and Human Services Director.

The meeting will be from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River St.

Comments will be taken about the preferred leadership skills, knowledge, experience and expectations for the new HHSD Director.

Feedback from the community, including human services organizations, will be used in developing a recruitment brochure for the position vacated by the retirement of David Lurie. Shannon Jones, formerly Assistant Director, is the interim Director.

The Director supervises a staff of more than 500 in a department that offers a broad range of programs and services including disease surveillance and epidemiology; environmental health -- for example restaurant inspections; graffiti abatement; operation of Women, Infants and Children (WIC) clinics; management of birth/death records; and refugee health screenings.

The city says you can also e-mail your comments to edna.santos@ci.austin.tx.us. What, no hashtags?

What the hell else is happening?

On the city calendar: City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee meets in the Boards and Commissions Room at City Hall, 10am.

The Parks and Recreation Board meets in the Boards and Commissions Room at City Hall, 6pm.

The Planning Commission meets in Council Chambers at City Hall, 6pm

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