Mayor Newsom defends Conroy after demotion

Bay City News Service

October 5, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is standing by Annemarie Conroy, one day after the Board of Supervisors effectively demoted her in a re- arrangement of city emergency agencies.

Newsom appointed Conroy as executive director of the Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security, known at city hall as OES/HS, in July 2005.

About six months ago, the mayor hired Laura Phillips to direct the city's Emergency Communications Department.

The supervisors' action on Tuesday created an umbrella Department of Emergency Management to oversee emergency services and communications, with Phillips in charge. Conroy was to start her work day today as the deputy director for emergency services, reporting to Phillips instead of directly to the mayor.

Newsom spokeswoman Jennifer Petrucione said today it's not entirely clear how the new management structure will shake out, but "by any objective standard, Annemarie Conroy has done an excellent job as director of OES/HS.''

"San Francisco has updated emergency plans for the first time in a decade since Annemarie took over,'' Petrucione said.

Another Newsom appointee who was later elected, Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, has been among those who have publicly scrutinized Conroy's qualifications. Alioto-Pier told supervisors on Tuesday, "This position requires someone who can do the job, not because they're a quick study, but because it's a life they have lived.''

Tuesday's board action requires the director of emergency management to have at least 10 years experience in emergency services and five years experience in a management position. The vote to create the Department of Emergency Management was unanimous, 11-0.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

####