Detroit finance director Tom Lijana announced his resignation and chief financial officer Norman White was demoted Monday as part of a sweeping reorganization of Mayor Dave Bing’s administration. Cheryl Johnson, formerly the treasurer, is the city’s new finance chief.
Lijana has been finance director since Jan. 10. His last day will be Aug. 5.
White, who joined the Finance Department in 2008, will now be in charge of the Woodward Avenue light-rail project. Under the reorganization, all employees will report to new chief of staff Kirk Lewis, who will run daily operations. There are now four group executives in planning and facilities, transportation, utilities, and finance.
The makeover comes after two years of turmoil that has led to the departure of more than 30 mayoral appointees, according to a report in Crain’s Detroit Business.
In his role as finance director, Lijana has helped craft and publicly defend key financial measures, such as the city’s deficit elimination plan and 2012 budget, the city said in a statement. His son, Dan Lijana, is Bing’s communications manager.
“With the completion of the deficit elimination plan and various other business practices implemented, I am comfortable handing these responsibilities off to others to continue to move the administration forward,” Lijana said. “I am confident this is the right time for me to depart.”
The statement added that the departure comes “as the mayor is redefining roles and responsibilities within the administration.”
