The retention rate of black appointees in Mayor Francis Slay’s second term is interesting. Starting with Deputy Chief of Operations Rita Kirkland, Director of the Civil Rights Enforcement Agency Kenneth Jones, City Municipal Court Judges Bill McHugh and Betty Battle-Turner, Special Assistant to the Mayor Ocie Johnson, Public Education Advisor Earl Nance Jr. and Special Events Director Sheila Banks, Slay has either fired, asked for a resignation or not reappointed a current total of seven blacks in his administration, while retaining all of the white appointees in his second term. The Slay administration is sure to provide a spin to explain this phenomenon, such as replacing these blacks with other blacks, but the EYE would just like to find one example of Slay’s displeasure with a white appointee in his second term.
Interestingly, just this week a spokesman for the mayor, Ed Rhode, sent to the American two drafts of a letter he said was penned by St. Louis City Operations Manager Ron Smith, a black man. The short version he asked us to shovel into the EYE reads: “After reading the American over the last few weeks, some of your readers may have a false impression about the make up of Mayor Slay’s administration. As Mayor Francis Slay has said repeatedly at ward, block unit, neighborhood and town hall meetings, as the mayor of a diverse city, he cannot lead without the input, understanding and awareness of a strong African-American presence in his administration. The mayor’s cabinet and senior staff reflect the diversity of our City. Out of 20 members of the mayor’s cabinet, 10 are African American. In addition, two of his four senior advisors are African American. These are important, leadership positions.” And, judging by Slay’s track records, they will turn over in a minute, given that they are staffed by blacks.