Changes coming to Lorain city administration

LORAIN — Less than six months into Mayor Jack Bradley's tenure, changes are coming to his administration. Safety/Service Director Max Upton is voluntarily moving to a temporary position in the city's Building, Housing and Planning Department, pending approval from the Civil Service Commission. He will start there Monday, Bradley said, and work there for the next four months. Upton's move comes just weeks after a settlement agreement was reached between the city and Building, Housing and Planning Director Kellie Glenn. In March, Glenn filed charges with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging racial bias within the city. About a month later, she was placed on paid administrative leave pending a disciplinary hearing. The pair came to a mutual agreement, with Glenn leaving her position effective July 31 and withdrawing her complaints against the city. She will be paid a $36,424 severance, broken up over four months. Bradley said he spoke to Upton after the agreement was reached. "So when Kellie resigned, I said to Max, I think that you need to be in a position where I think your talents are best served, because he knows this stuff like — I don't know, he eats, sleeps and drinks this community development stuff," he said. Under former Mayor Chase Ritenauer, Upton had applied for a position in the city's Building, Housing and Planning department, but he was not hired at the time. The Civil Commission is slated to meet Wednesday afternoon to vote on the position of Program Manager I, where — if appointed — Upton will "work to secure release of the city's HOME funds" from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The HOME program provides local housing departments funding to help increase home ownership and affordable housing opportunities in low income areas. HOME program funding for Lorain has been frozen until the city hired several new positions in the Building, Housing and Planning Department, including the one Upton will fill. Bradley said one of his goals for Upton is to tear down at least five houses a month on the city's demolition list — which has properties on it dating back to 2017. There is potential for Upton to move into the director position if he meets Bradley's expectations in the temporary role, the mayor said. "I want to see some things moving forward out of that department," he said. "I think we're going to go in a completely different direction." The safety/service director's job will be filled by Sanford Washington Jr., who serves on the Lorain County Community College Board of Trustees. Washington also is president of the 100 Men of Lorain County, prior administrator of residential services at Our Lady of the Wayside and the owner of consulting firm SWJ Enterprises, according to a news release from the city. He does not have experience in local government. "I wanted somebody who is a community leader, someone who is well-respected in the community and someone that I think can do the job," Bradley said of his latest appointment. Effective June 5, Chief of Staff Melissa Barnhart will leave the city, citing the need for a set schedule to provide care for her daughter, according to a news release. Rick Soto will be the only staff member to stay in the administration, moving into the role of chief of staff. While his business card may state a different title, Soto still will be responsible for negotiations and day-to-day issues surrounding the city's safety forces. Sanford's position will focus on the service side, including addressing City Council and resident' concerns, Bradley said. Soto's previous position as assistant safety/service director will remain vacant, as it did under several recent administrations. "We're going to have one less staff member," Bradley said. "And it's going to be tough but I think at this particular time, I'm going to try to save that part of the budget and expect people to work a little harder." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.