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Five months after taking office, Mayor Dinkins has still not picked heads of two key economic development agencies, raising questions about his administration's plans.
As a result, the city's Office of Business Development and Department of Ports & Trade have drifted, struggling to deliver business assistance programs with depleted staff, sagging morale and strong doubts about their fate.
Furthermore, City Hall is now seeking a prominent management consultant to explore overhauling all its economic development efforts at no cost. The consultant could recommend merging one or more agencies or shifting functions around.
"Nothing is sacred," says Sally Hernandez-Pinero, deputy mayor for finance and economic development. She adds, however, that she doesn't anticipate eliminating any agencies.
Even if the agencies aren't drastically altered, though, the study means that it could be months before the entire development team is in place.
"We have not been told any time frame," says one affected staffer.
Although some speculate that appointments could be delayed until fall, Ms. Hernandez-Pinero says she hopes to name the two missing commissioners later this month after selecting a management consultant.
"The management study will probably take three or four months," Ms. Hernandez-Pinero says. "We'll probably move ahead and hire the new commissioners (before then)."
But administration officials have been making that promise for months, possibly because they've...