Acting Annapolis City Manager Woodward to Resign

Annapolis Mayor Michael Pantelides announced Monday that Brian Woodward will step down as Acting City Manager, effective July 30, and has also resigned as the city’s Recreation and Parks Director.

Woodward cited heath issues as his reason for leaving the city, according to a news release. 

Since Pantelides became mayor in December, Annapolis has lost its city attorney, city manager, assistant city manager, planning director and transportation director through resignations or firings, reports The Baltimore Sun.

Woodward will help city leaders recruit and hire the new Recreation and Parks Director and be involved in the selection of a new City Manager, the city’s release said.

The city is reviewing applications for a new city manager and will work collaboratively with City Council throughout the process. A new acting city manager will be named prior to Woodward’s departure.

Woodward was named the Acting City Manager on March 26, 2014. He had served as the Recreation and Parks Director since June 18, 2012.

The city said some of his achievements include:

• Restructured the operating budget in order to foster accountability of managers, increase transparency of expenses and revenues, and to set goals and objectives for cost-based fees.
• Reorganized the department, creating accountable managers, pushes decisions to appropriate levels, aligns budget authority with program responsibility, and fosters career ladders along with experiences for staff to take on increasingly elevated responsibilities.
• Created a customer service orientation among all staff by requiring quick response times to inquiries and concerns, improved training in customer service and empowering staff to be able to resolve customer issues at the appropriate organizational level.

“From the time that I was offered the position of Director of Recreation and Parks by the City of Annapolis, I have been delighted to have this opportunity to lead the City’s efforts to battle childhood obesity and other health and wellness issues for our City’s children,” Woodward said.  “We have also strengthened the department, streamlined and improved services and organized for the future.”

As Acting City Manager, Woodward was instrumental in finalizing the budgets, worked to improve the communications and involvement of the Alderpersons, helped solve significant issues in Transportation, partnered with County officials and staff to address the Forest Dive traffic concerns, and maintained a sense of team work with the Department Heads.