Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler is planning to announce this week a major change in which city commissioners are in charge of which city bureaus, with oversight of some of the most important departments changing hands.

One of the most significant powers that comes with being mayor is the ability to award or rescind bureau leadership by the four other elected commissioners.

Two City Hall officials briefed directly by the mayor or his staff on the planned assignment changes detailed them to The Oregonian/OregonLive Tuesday. The officials did not want to speak on the record about the assignments, which the mayor keeps a closely-guarded secret.

Wheeler intends to retain his roles as commissioner in charge of police, housing, planning and budget and management, the officials said. The mayor plans to take over the Bureau of Development Services from Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and cede his leadership of the 911 and emergency management bureaus to Commissioner Dan Saltzman, a lame duck who will leave office in December.

Eudaly will be assigned the Portland Bureau of Transportation, which had been overseen by Saltzman, and the Regional Arts and Culture Council, which had been run by Commissioner Nick Fish. She will retain her post as head of the Office of Civic & Community Life.

Fish will keep the Bureau of Environmental Services and also take over leadership of Portland Parks & Recreation from Commissioner Amanda Fritz.

Fritz in turn will get the Water Bureau from Fish.

Saltzman, formerly the transportation commissioner, would keep the Portland Fire & Rescue while taking over the 911 and emergency management agencies.

Wheeler spokeswoman Sophia June said the mayor intends to make a public announcement about bureau assignments this week.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

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