The Redevelopment Agency, upon recommendation of the redevelopment director, appointed the city administrator to be deputy director, serving as the city’s liaison to the agency.

With four commissioners present, the Redevelopment Agency unanimously passed a resolution to appoint City Administrator Cherron Rountree as deputy director, after Redevelopment Director Leonard Bier made the recommendation during its monthly meeting on Jan. 6.

Since former Redevelopment Agency Secretary Cindy Solomon was the previous liaison to the city, Bier said Rountree has been filling in that role and attending agency meetings. Solomon stepped down as secretary last year but remains senior planner and director of the Division of Community Development.

Compensation as deputy director will be $15,000 for Rountree, which Bier noted is less than what Solomon was paid. Solomon earned $32,275, according to the 2014 agency budget.

Bier said Rountree takes all daily contacts and has been the lead on the Ingerman project for artist housing at the former Elizabethtown Gas site.

Bier’s predecessor, Peter Pelissier, served as both city administrator and redevelopment director until leaving the administrator post under former Mayor Rick Proctor’s tenure. Rountree was appointed city administrator in November 2013. Pelissier then resigned/was pushed out of the redevelopment post in September 2014, replaced by Bier two months later.

Redevelopment commissioners are appointed by the mayor with confirmation by City Council. The seven-member board, which currently has two vacancies, appoints the executive director.