Politics & Government
Montco Commissioners Announce Senior Staff
Government leaders express optimism about new direction of commissioner's office.
Montgomery County Commissioners-elect Josh Shapiro and Leslie Richards announced a new organizational structure to the commissioner’s office Wednesday, Dec. 28 that Shapiro says will better enable “open, responsive and efficient government.”
Under the new structure, a chief clerk/chief operating officer will lead a staff comprised of two deputy COOs, a county solicitor, a chief financial officer and a director of communications.
“We wanted a structure that is commonly used in business with all persons reporting to the chief clerk, who, in turn, reports to the board,” Shapiro said. "These are extremely qualified and dedicated individuals who will do great work for the people of Montgomery County.”
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“We have put a great deal of thought into how we want to govern Montgomery County, and we are confident that we have in place a combination of people, processes and policy that will enable us to execute the game plan we have devised,” added Richards, a Whitemarsh resident.
Shapiro, Richards, and a transition team led by Robert D. Fox worked on the reorganization, which has been endorsed by Commissioner Bruce L. Castor, Jr., the lone holdover from the previous board of commissioners.
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“I'm excited to get about the business of restoring the public's faith in county government with this new team,” Castor said. “'Optimistic for success' sums up my feeling. It will be a lot of work, but we will turn things around in time."
Current Chief Clerk/Chief Operating Officer Robert Graf is expected to stay on for a period of time as “senior advisor” to the new board.
“Bob Graf has served Montgomery County well, and we believe his 40 years of experience and his institutional knowledge will be extremely valuable during this transitional period,” Richards said.
The new senior staff includes Lauren Lambrugo (Chief Clerk/Chief Operating Officer), Lee A. Soltysiak (Deputy COO for Policy and Planning), Raymond McGarry (Solicitor), Uri Monson (Chief Financial Officer), and Frank X. Custer (Director of Communications). A Deputy COO for Operations will be announced at a later date.
