A Return Engagement at City Hall

The new deputy mayor looks a lot like the old deputy mayor.

Neil O. Albert, once a deputy to Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D), will return to D.C. government after a year in the private sector to head up mayor-elect Adrian M. Fenty's economic development effort.

Fenty and Dan Tangherlini, who will be city administrator in the Fenty administration, introduced Albert -- or "reintroduced" him, as Fenty put it -- to reporters Monday at the Frank D. Reeves Municipal Center.

He is familiar to many as the former head of the city's Department of Parks and Recreation and later as a deputy mayor. For the past year, Albert has worked as founder and chief executive of EdBuild, which provides services to D.C. schools.

Albert has no background in development. But Fenty, currently the Ward 4 D.C. Council member, said Albert turned the Parks and Recreation Department into a more engaged and creative agency than it was when Albert took over. Fenty added that he talked with four colleagues on the council who were effusive in their praise of Albert.

"We have a very strong personal relationship and working relationship," Fenty said. "Neil is thoughtful, deliberative and takes into account all sides of an issue. And he is strong on making a decision at the end of the day."

Fenty said Albert will focus on sustaining the kind of large-scale projects that thrived under the Williams administration but also ramp up smaller development in more neglected areas of the city, such as east of Anacostia River, where development has lagged.

"We will look out for that segment of the community that has been left behind," said Albert, citing his work providing shelter for the District's homeless in his role as deputy mayor under Williams.

Fenty is eliminating three of the four deputy mayor positions under Williams, keeping the congressionally chartered deputy mayor for economic development and creating a deputy for education. Gone will be the deputy positions that oversaw government operations, public safety and children, youth, families and elders, Albert's old job. That will save about $2 million and improve government efficiency by eliminating bureaucracy, Fenty said.

He said he intends to empower city agency directors, giving them more authority but also more responsibility by reporting directly to Tangherlini and himself. Fenty also plans to name a deputy mayor for education as soon as today.

Fenty's New Spokeswoman

Carrie Brooks used to work in federal politics on Capitol Hill. Now, she'll try her hand on the local government scene.

Fenty named Brooks, once the spokeswoman for Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.), as his communications director, responsible for the message of his administration. Fenty has been looking for a new spokesman since he fired top aide Alec Evans last month.