Confirmation hearings begin today for New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno's top aides.
Helena Moreno is the first mayor to begin a term since New Orleans voters approved a charter change requiring city council approval of top-level appointees.
"We're starting our city attorney, Charline Gipson, and also Dr. Avegno (above)," Moreno told WWL's Newell Normand.
"Dr. Avegno will have to be confirmed because she's now going to be over Health and Human Services," she said. "Even though she's been pretty much running the health department, because her position is bigger, her title's a little bit different now; she will be going through the confirmation process."
The confirmation process began in the middle of the previous mayor's second term, so officials already on the job when the charter change went into effect didn't need a confirmation hearing. Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick was the first mayoral appointee to go through the process.
The Governmental Affairs Committee meets at 10 a.m. at New Orleans City Hall.