Nutter prepares for Philadelphia mayoral term

By Eric Donovan
Senior Staff Writer
December 5, 2007

Even though Democratic mayor-elect Michael Nutter will not be sworn into office until Jan. 8, he is already busy preparing for duty, naming Clarence Armbrister as his chief of staff Nov. 27, and attending the Great Expectations forum at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Dec. 2.

Armbrister, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, will take the position as Nutter’s chief of staff when the mayor-elect is sworn in after the new year.

“I am delighted that Clay has answered the call to public service and has agreed to serve as my chief of staff when I become mayor in January,” Nutter said in a press release. 

Armbrister served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Temple University and has been with the school since 2003.

“Clay has been a highly effective leader at Temple University and will be a tremendous asset to the Nutter administration and the city,” said Temple University President Ann Weaver Hart in the release.

Before his work at Temple, he worked as the Director of UBS Paine Webber’s Municipal Securities Group, utilizing his skills in the public education market, according to the release.

“Clay’s background in finance, education, management and the law makes him perfect for the position. I’m looking forward to having him as an integral part of the Mayor’s office and city government,” Nutter said in the release.

“Clay is another wonderful addition to the administration and underscores my efforts to bring the best and the brightest into public service.”

Among others chosen for positions, Nutter has named Chuck Ramsey as Police Commisioner and Rob Dubow as finance director, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Over the weekend, Nutter also attended a forum at the Pennsylvania Convention Center as part of the Great Expectations Project, an open forum initiative that calls upon the citizens of Philadelphia for ideas and suggestions to make the city better.

Over 650 people were expected at the Convention Center Dec. 2, according to Jodie Chester, team member of Great Expectations, on the project’s Web site.

The Citizen’s Convention was just the culminating event of Great Expectations’ Citizen’s Week. According to the project’s main Web site, the event was held for citizens to “put together an agenda for the next great city and its future mayor.”

The agenda, a collaborative list of local citizens’ ideas and dreams for the future of Philadelphia, will be unveiled in the Inquirer, according to the project’s Web site.

At the convention, Nutter spoke to the attendees as a keynote speaker, addressing the various concerns and ideas that have been brought up throughout the year as part of the project.

Put together by the Inquirer and the University of Pennsylvania, the goal of Great Expectations was to provide a voice for the city before Nutter is sworn in as the new mayor in January.

As part of Nutter’s own personal efforts to help change the city, he also recently created a new position in his staff called the Chief Integrity Officer, which will be filled by Joan Markman. She will “be responsible for promoting internal ethical standards and guidelines throughout the administration,” according to Nutter’s official Web site.

In addition, Nutter also named Amy Kurland as the Inspector General, responsible for investigating waste, fraud and abuse in the city government, and Kenya Mann as a nominee to the Ethics Board. These three positions will be integral in the development and growth of the city and will help to address many of the goals outlined in the Great Expectations project.

In a statement released to the public, Nutter made the steps “as part of my commitment to transparency and integrity in city government.”

donovane1@lasalle.edu