x
Breaking News
More () »

Mayor Cantrell announces removal of top S&WB executives

Mayor LaToya Cantrell said that the executives resigned Monday morning at the request of the interim director.

NEW ORLEANS - Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced a major overhaul at the top of the Sewerage & Water Board on Monday, forcing the resignations of three deputy directors and moving to get rid of her hand-picked interim director two weeks earlier than planned.

“The resignations were effective this morning,” Cantrell said at a surprise press conference Monday to announce the departures. “And they are immediate. And they are not subject to any severance packages.”

Cantrell did not address the fact that the three deputy directors – Sharon Judkins, Ronald Doucette and Valerie Rivers – were approved for sizable pay raises last month. The raises were made retroactive to January 1st.

Judkins, former human resources director, was approved for a salary increase from about $130,000 to $175,000, city records show. Doucette, a former NOPD commander in charge of security, and Rivers, who oversees logistics, were given raises from about $130,000 to $150,000, the records show.

The retroactive raises came months after a comprehensive pay increase was approved for other employees in the Sewerage & Water Board. But with the agency suffering from financial problems and moving to resume water shut-offs for customers behind on their bills, the executive pay raises were blasted by city council members and the community.

“The citizens of this city cannot get a retroactive pay raise when they're getting fired. So this is lunacy,” community activist Pat Bryant said. “If those raises can be taken back, it needs to be happening right now. The mayor should try her honest best to snatch that money from them. If there's a check out for it, cancel the check.”

Interim Director Jade Brown-Russell approved the pay raises. Now, just two weeks away from turning over the operation to the newly hired permanent director of the agency, Ghassan Korban of Milwaukee, it appears she also is on her way out.

At the press briefing, Cantrell announced that retired Coast Guard Admiral David Callahan would be taking over as interim director until Korban is in place.

Brown-Russell’s removal appears to be a done deal, but it must be done by a vote of the full Sewerage and Water Board. Cantrell announced that an emergency meeting of the board will be held Tuesday.

Cantrell did not address the pay raises and what role they played in her decision to get rid of Brown-Russell. The mayor focused on “moving forward” and preparing the agency for a new leadership under Korban.

“We have no room for distractions, we only have room for progress,” Cantrell said. “This Sewerage and Water Board will not be beholden to the previous administration and decisions that were brought forth during that particular time.”

Callahan said he already has been brainstorming with Korban.

“He and I have already had extensive conversations already and I will be talking to him on a daily basis during this interim period,” Callahan said.

Korban is expected to start Sept. 3.

Before You Leave, Check This Out