Major Jackson-Hicks took office May 11 after defeating incumbent Alvin Parks Jr. and challenger Courtney Hoffman in the city’s April 7 elections. Following her inauguration, she announced she would conduct a 100-day assessment of city operations.

An overall shake-up of the East St. Louis city government, promised by new Mayor Emeka Jackson-Hicks, appears to be underway.

The town this week has a new city manager and interim police chief. A new fire chief, as well as new directors for all city departments, are being sought. At least one position has been eliminated.

Major Jackson-Hicks took office May 11 after defeating incumbent Alvin Parks Jr. and challenger Courtney Hoffman in the city’s April 7 elections. Following her inauguration, she announced she would conduct a 100-day assessment of city operations.

While results of the assessment and a promised “social contract” with citizens are not due until roughly mid-August, personnel changes are already underway.

“Right now the changes are ongoing, nothing is set in stone,” Mayor Jackson-Hicks told a St. Louis television station. “We are doing the best that we can to maintain a positive morale. Some feeling may be hurt, that’s not our intent, we want to do what’s best.”

Already announced as the new East St. Louis city manager is Traycee Chapman, currently a U.S. Air Force employee in Colorado Spring, Colo. Additional information about Chapman has not been released.

Chapman replaces Deletra Hudson of St. Louis, who became city manager in 2009. Prior to that, she served as the East St. Louis budget director for four years. In all, she has spent 16 with the city. Hudson’s final day at East St. Louis City Hall was July 15. The owner of a St. Louis Financial Services firm, Hudson remains a board member for East St. Louis’ Katherine Dunham Center for the Arts and Humanities. A resolution for termination of Hudson’s employment as city manager was approved during the East St. Louis City Council’s July 9 meeting.

The East St. Louis Police Department is now under the command of Interim Chief Felix Arnold.

The interim chief was sworn in July 13, after Michael Floore was removed as chief earlier in the day by Hudson. A seven-year veteran of the force, Arnold had been serving as a patrolman and canine officer.

Floore will remain with the force as a patrolman and detective, the positions he held prior to becoming chief in 2012.

“The administration has to be able to trust him. Trust that he will have the best interest of the city at heart,” Mayor Jackson-Hicks said.

East St. Louis has had at least 10 police chiefs over the past dozen years. Former Chief Michael Baxton Sr. was charged with theft in 2013.

The East St. Louis Police Department is currently under the supervision of the Metro-East Police District, an entity established under Illinois to address problems in four Metro-East law enforcement agencies. The district is currently preparing to build a new evidence storage facility for East St. Louis and other jurisdictions in the area. Recently, the district issued a new manual for police officers.

As with the city’s manager’s position, the new mayor may be looking outside the city for new police chief, Hudson according to reports.

Mayor Jackson-Hicks in June informed 10 top-level city employees that their positions were now considered open and applicants were actively being sought. Present employees could reapply for their positions, she reportedly told the department heads during a series of meetings in her office.

Among other positions, the city is now advertising for new budget, human resources, economic development, and regulatory affairs directors.

The position of public works director has been eliminated. Roy Mosley Jr., who had been head of the public works department, has been reassigned as the city’s community investment officer.

During her campaign, Mayor Jackson-Hicks suggested her administration would break ties with powerful political forces based in both East St. Louis and the St. Clair County seat of Belleville.

Apparently surviving the shake-up is Tyron K. Taylor, of the Consulting Group, who was retained by city last year to provide economic development services. Taylor’s contract with the city was renewed by Mayor Jackson-Hicks and the city council during a special meeting July 15.

Meanwhile to the immediate north of East St. Louis, former Brooklyn Police Chief Tony Tomlinson takes over this week as chief of the Washington Park Police Department.

Chief Tomlinson takes over for former Chief Aubrey Keller, whose last day on the job was July 17.

The Washington Park Police Department, like East St. Louis, is currently under the supervision of the Metro-East Police District.

— New East St. Louis mayor begins promised overhaul —