Two top Briley aides, including Rich Riebeling, leaving in Nashville mayor's office overhaul; new chief of staff named

Joey Garrison | The Tennessean

Two top aides are on their way out, and Nashville Mayor David Briley's former campaign manager has been named chief of staff, in Briley's most significant staff shake-up since taking office.

Chief Operating Officer Rich Riebeling, the most powerful aide in each of the last three mayoral administrations, and Chief of Staff Debby Dale Mason are set to leave the mayor's office in the coming months. Both are holdovers from former Mayor Megan Barry's administration.

Emily Passini, a longtime Democratic campaign operative who managed Briley's special election campaign, will take over as chief of staff. She's tasked with organizing the policy priorities of the office, managing staff and working with department heads to push the mayor's agenda forward.

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The moves come one month after Briley's convincing special election victory and one week after Briley won Metro Council approval of a 2018-19 operating budget, averting a push for a property tax increase that he opposed.

In all, 10 mayor's office staff members have either exited or announced their departures since Barry resigned March 6.

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Briley told The Tennessean that he does not plan to fill the chief operating officer position and that Brian Kelsey, the mayor's chief strategy officer, will be taking on some of Riebeling's responsibilities. He said an additional staff member would be hired this fall to share in some of those duties.

The plan is to reorganize the staff further, with Briley setting a Sept. 30 target for more changes. But he said he intends to keep Metro Finance Director Talia Lomax-O'dneal and Metro Law Director Jon Cooper, both Barry appointments.

Mayor thanks Riebeling, Mason

The impending departure of Riebeling — who has worked for the city since 2007 after returning to local government from the financial world — means the exit of Metro's most influential official over the past decade.

As finance director under former Mayor Karl Dean, and then chief operating officer for Barry, Riebeling steered major economic development and financing deals involving sports stadiums and the city's convention center, led talks with city departments and advised on political matters. He continued in a key role after Briley assumed office after Barry's resignation.

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“Both Rich and Debby have given the city many years of dedicated service," Briley said in a prepared statement to The Tennessean. "We owe them our deep appreciation.

“Rich’s work in particular has been recognized nationally. He has helped to facilitate unprecedented economic opportunity, investment and development as Nashville has become one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities. In that work, he has been instrumental in improvements across Metro Nashville, in our schools, parks, libraries, neighborhoods, public safety and infrastructure."

Briley, the former vice mayor, entered office in the spring promising a staff reorganization.

Riebeling's continued role in mayor's office had been debated

But he's faced some criticism for even temporarily retaining Riebeling, who is tied politically to his two predecessors. Recognized but also criticized for his influence, Riebleing has received pushback over the years for being too heavy-handed with decisions and disregarding community input.

The mayor leaned on Riebeling during his sudden transition into office, including advising on the recently approved budget, remaining hurdles for the city's Major League Soccer stadium and other projects Briley inherited from Barry.

While Riebeling has led on the policy front, Mason, a former top official with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and one-time aide for former Mayor Bill Boner, managed day-to-day operations inside the mayor's office under Barry and Briley.

Both Riebeling, 64, and Mason, 66, say they are unsure about their next professional plans.

"I appreciate the confidence that four mayors of Nashville placed in me," Riebeling said. "I hope that my work has helped make a positive impact on our community and look forward to working with Mayor Briley on a few final matters before deciding on my next career path."

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Mason called it "an honor" to work with Briley. "I'm really focused now on the transition. To be able to work with Emily and work with the great staff that is here, that's really my primary focus," Mason said.

Passini to begin next month

Exact dates of the departures for Riebeling and Mason are unclear.

Passini, who will earn $175,000 a year as chief of staff, begins on July 16 after the start of the next fiscal year.

The 41-year-old Passini is a longtime adviser of Briley after managing his unsuccessful 2007 mayoral campaign. She consulted Briley in the days before he was sworn into office to replace Barry.

Passini most recently worked as a partner at Greenlight Media Strategies, a campaign consulting firm whose local clients have included At-large Councilman John Cooper and state Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville. The outfit has offices in Nashville and New York.

Passini has held prior stints as director of the Tennessee House Democratic Caucus, and special assistant to the Commissioner of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities in former Gov. Phil Bredesen’s administration.

“Emily is an incredible talent," Briley said. "She has keen knowledge of and strong relationships with Metro government and Metro Council members, and she’s familiar with my policy priorities. I am confident that her sharp organizational skills and strategic focus will drive progress and results for the city."

Briley faces re-election in August 2019, just 15 months after his special election win. Despite Passini's political background, he said she would not not be moving back to the campaign next year and would remain chief of staff during the election.

Several former Barry staffers have departed

Passini said she looks forward to working with Briley.

“After nearly 12 years of working on various projects and campaigns with Mayor Briley, it will be an honor to serve in his administration," Passini said. "There is no one I admire more, and I look forward to serving our great city as part of his team."

Multiple staff members, including former Press Secretary Sean Braisted and senior adviser Claudia Huskey, Barry's former campaign manager, have either left the mayor's office since Barry's resignation, or have announced their departures.

Others are: Morgan Mansa, director of the Barnes Fund for Affordable Housing; Justine Avila, director of the Music City Council; Laura Moore, senior advisor on education; Erik Cole, chief resilience officer; John Murphy, senior adviser of economic inclusion; Chris Haas, new media manager.

During last week's approval of a new Metro budget, the council voted to reduce the mayor's office budget by $300,000. It could mean some openings remain vacant. Briley said he's still deciding how to proceed but vowed to make it work.

"It was the biggest percentage cut of any department in Metro, but we'll manage through it, and we'll find a way to use the resources that we have to accomplish everything the city needs," he said.

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236, jgarrison@tennessean.com and on Twitter @joeygarrison.