Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - At first glance, the fact that Buffalo Mayor-elect Sean Ryan named four deputy mayors - each earning more than $100,000 annually - may seem like a lot for a cash-strapped city.
But that is not the case, according to Ryan. He says consider Buffalo like a public company, or even a privately-held one.
"Imagine being a $640 million company that has more than 12 departments and 3,000 employees and only one person between all those people and departments and the CEO. You can't run all that through just one person," Ryan said. "No, modern company would operate like that."
The four deputy mayors - Thomas Baines, Eugenio Russi, Ben Swanekamp and Maria Whyte - will oversee 14 key Buffalo departments, including public works, police and fire, strategic planning, human resources and parking enforcement.
The respective commissioners in each of the 14 departments will report to their respective and assigned deputy mayor. Baines, for example, will oversee the Office of Strategic Planning and Permits & Inspection Services, while Russi will oversee police and fire.
Gone are the days of a single, or maybe, two deputy mayors.
"We need to change the structure," Ryan said.
All will earn more than $100,000 annually with funding coming from job reductions or securing some outside funding.
Bringing a more professional and responsive administrative inner circle to Buffalo City Hall was one of Ryan's key talking points during his Democratic Primary and General Election campaigns.
"One deputy mayor is too much of a pinch point," Ryan said. "I wanted problem solvers."
Some of the issues run deep and may take much of Ryan's first term in office to solve. The mayor-elect pointed to Buffalo's canyon-like budget deficit, which may be more than $54 million.
Swanekamp, who oversees the administration and finance departments - among others, will be charged with working with Ryan on solving the budget issue.
"The hole is so deep, it may take three years," Ryan conceded.
That's why he wants his inner circle, not only to serve as his boots-on-the-ground conduit, but also offer unbiased, professional advice and recommendations.
"Buffalo needs that," Ryan said.