ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Mayor Evans announced that two senior administration leaders will be retiring at the end of the year, along with some new staffing changes.

It was announced that Deputy Mayor Patrick Cunningham and Corporation Counsel Linda Kingsley will retire at the end of December. They joined the administration at the beginning of 2022.

“I deeply appreciate the leadership and expertise Deputy Mayor Cunningham and Corporation Counsel Kingsley have brought to the City over the past two years,” said Mayor Evans. “Their efforts and accomplishments will be felt in City Hall and across Rochester for a long time to come.”

Before taking their positions, Cunningham worked as the CEO of Manning & Napier before retiring in 2016.

“I stayed on beyond the time I originally intended to because I felt compelled to complete some of the projects we had begun,” Cunningham said. “Mayor Evans is the right person in the right job at the right time, and he has inspired me and the rest of us in his administration to give our all to this city.”

Kingsley first served as Corporation Counsel from 1994 to 2005 before serving that same role in Binghamton. In addition, she will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement in Municipal Law Award.

“I want to thank Mayor Evans for giving me the opportunity to conclude my legal career by once again serving the city in the position that first brought me to Rochester over 30 years ago,” Kingsley said. “My time here with Mayor Evans and his team and with our Law Department staff has been rewarding beyond my expectations.

Starting on January 1, 2024, Rochester’s Budget Director Michael Burns will step into the role of Deputy Mayor and Deputy Corporation Counsel Patrick Beath will serve as Corporation Counsel.

Mayor Evans also announced two more appointments: Frederick Rion will be Rochester’s Director of Emergency Management and will oversee the city’s EMS system to lessen the impact of emergencies. Sade McCallan will be appointed as Emerging Initiatives Manager to coordinate efforts regarding homelessness, cannabis, food accessibility, and other initiatives.

Rion recently served as SUNY Brockport’s Emergency Manager and worked for Monroe County as the Emergency Preparedness Administrator. McCallan served as a Management Analyst in the City Manager’s Office in Waco, Texas.

“I am proud of the work my administration has done so far, and am excited to begin the next two years working with these new senior leaders to deliver hope and opportunity for Rochester’s residents,” said Mayor Evans.