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Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski has called a public-relations play amid criticism surrounding changes to her staff.
She sent emails this week to campaign supporters to reassure them that things are going well in her realignment of city government. The mayor also reminded them that she was elected to make change.
"I know, from the messages I have received, some of you are concerned about the level of scrutiny my team and I have faced recently," her email stated. "This was something we expected and something we continue to expect as we move forward. Change can be hard for some people — but the voters of Salt Lake City voted for change, not just in one office, but in how our city operates."
The email — sent from the campaign rather than city accounts — speaks to the dismissals of Public Services Department Director Rick Graham, Redevelopment Agency Executive Director D.J. Baxter and Debra Alexander, who led human resources.
Jeff Niermeyer voluntarily resigned as head of the Public Utilities Department in December after Biskupski's election.
All department directors serve at the pleasure of the mayor, in contrast with "merit" employees, who cannot be dismissed without cause.
Biskupski's nomination of Mike Reberg, who led Salt Lake County's animal services, to fill the technical public-utilities post, brought a rash of criticism because he does not hold an engineering degree. Reberg withdrew earlier this week.
In the email, Biskupski told her backers that she wants to create a management system with more of a bottom-up approach than the previous administration of Ralph Becker.
"My goal is to build a team of humble leaders who will listen to those they manage and to the residents of this city," she said. "These decisions are not made lightly. I will not make changes for the sake of change — I only want government to work more efficiently and effectively for everyone."
Her message could be seen as a reassurance to supporters that things are going as expected, despite the news stories, said Tim Chambless, a professor of political science at the University of Utah, who also is affiliated with the Hinckley Institute of Politics.
He added, however, that it also could be seen as an "inoculation" against present and future criticism.
"A political campaign and conducting the affairs of office are not mutually exclusive," he said Thursday. "But any time there is change, it causes people to become unsettled."
Although residents voted for change, it was not a mandate, he said, referring to Biskupski's 51.5 percent to 48.5 percent victory.
"It was a close race," Chambless said. "The voters were not necessarily calling for great, precipitous change."
The email list of supporters originated from Biskupski's political campaign, spokesman Matthew Rojas confirmed. But no city staff time, city funds or city computers were used for the email, he said.