Shortly after being sworn in, Mayor Jim Kenney signed six Executive Orders in the Mayor’s Reception Room in City Hall. Descriptions of the Executive Orders follow:
Executive Order No. 1-16 establishes the position and office of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO). The CDIO will provide direction, guidance, advice, and support to the Mayor, as well as City departments, agencies, authorities, boards and commissions on improving and strengthening diversity and inclusion throughout City government, including service provision and the conduct of City businesses.
Amendment to Executive Order No. 3-12 “Anti-discriminatory Policy Relating to the Participation of Minority, Woman and Disabled Businesses in City Contracts” makes the CDIO, in coordination with the Commerce Director, responsible for overseeing city-wide goals surrounding the participation of minority, women, and disabled businesses in city contracts. The CDIO will consult monthly with a newly created Economic Opportunity Cabinet, which will provide further guidance in achieving city-wide discrimination goals. This cabinet will be made up of the Chief of Staff, Managing Director, Director of Finance, Commerce Director, Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Integrity Officer, City Solicitor, Director of Planning and Development, and Procurement Commissioner.
Executive Order No. 2-16 re-establishes the office of the Chief Integrity Officer (CIO) to promote honesty, integrity and accountability throughout the Executive and Administrative Branch in the day to day operations of City government. The CIO will work to ensure integrity within City Government, as well as create and manage compliance protocols, provide government oversight, and promote government accountability and accessibility.
Executive Order No. 3-16 creates the Office of Planning and Development within the Office of the Mayor, and the Cabinet-level position of Director of Planning and Development, who will report directly to the Mayor in advance of the mandated-charter change which will take effect in 2017. The voters of Philadelphia, on November 3, 2015, approved a ballot initiative proposed by City Council which creates a Department of Planning and Development within the City Charter. The new Department will become official on July 1, 2017. In order for the new Department to be fully operational on July 1, 2017 this Executive Order creates an Office of Planning and Development within the Office of the Mayor and a Cabinet-level position of Director of Planning and Development to develop and implement plans necessary to bring the new Department to fruition. The Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) will be dissolved and employees of OHCD will become employees of a Division of Housing and Community Development under the Office of Planning and Development. Certain other functions within the purview of Mayor and not subject to the Charter will also take place as part of moving forward with the creation of the Department of Planning and Development.
Executive Order No. 4-16 creates the office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), a cabinet-level position that reports to the Mayor. The CAO will focus on improving the way the City allocates resources, acquires goods and services and the way it hires, trains and compensates employees. Key administrative functions that will report to the CAO include IT, Procurement, Human Resources, Property and Fleet. This order also reconstitutes the Managing Director as the direct authority over the operational departments of the City.
Executive Order 5-16 states that city authorities will not cooperate with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests for undocumented citizens who are arrested and would have otherwise been released from custody, unless the individual has committed a first or second degree felony involving violence. This executive order also rescinds Executive Order 7-15 (Policy Regarding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency Detainer and Notification Requests in Instances of Terrorism or Violence).