Pop quiz time.
Aside from First Deputy Mayor Steve Casey, Mayor Byron W. Brown's closest adviser, name a top appointment in the Brow n Administration who has been with the mayor from Day 1. In other words, Brown's original appointments to top City Hall positions.
Let's see.
Mayor' chief spokesman, Peter K. Cutler. Gone. Left in February 2011 to become spokesman for the state Department of Corrections in Albany.
Police Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson. Gone. Fired after Brown won re-election to second term.
Fire Commissioner Michael Lombardo. Gone. Fired after Brown won re-election to second term.
Corporation Counsel Alisa Lukasiewicz, Gone. Left in May 2009, citing differences with Casey. She's now back in the private sector.
Economic Development and Inspections Commissioner Richard Tobe. Gone. Brown forced Tobe to resign in June 2008. Tobe is now with the Poloncarz Administration.
Timothy Wanamaker, director of Strategic Planning. Gone. Left in February 2008 to take job in California. Wanamaker recently pleaded guilty to stealing federal funds while in Buffalo.
Human Resources Commissioner Lenonard A. Matarese. Gone. Left Februrary 2008 to take job with a Washington, D.C.-based organization.
Technology Chief Robert F. Leach. Gone. Brown fired him in March 2008. He was subsequently named vice president and chief information officer for the American Automobile Association for Western and Central New York.
Finance Commissioner James Milroy. Gone. Left in 2006 to take position at Geneseo College.
Public Works Commissioner Joseph Giambra. Retired in December 2006, and subsequently pleaded guilty in court to accepting trips from companies that did business with the city.
Deputy Mayor Angela Joyner. Gone. She left in 2006 after just 125 days on the job, officially citing personal reasons, but leading to speculation that she was frustrated at not being part of the mayor's inner circle.
So which original appointment, aside from Casey, is left?
ANSWER: Oswaldo Mestre, director of Citizen Services.
(If we missed anyone, let us know.)
—Susan Schulman
sschulman@buffnews.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1519244048
