When Mike Hein was fired, power and authority shifted to Deputy City Manager Mike Letcher, who has assumed the role of acting city manager.
Letcher is knowledgeable and well acquainted with the way the city operates. But he steps in with vacancies in several key city positions.
There is no police chief. Hein tried to hire one after a national search was conducted and the field was narrowed to four – two outside candidates and two local ones.
Then the City Council stepped in and ordered the process restarted – with only local candidates considered.
The city also has no finance director and no Community Services director.
The fire chief is new to the job, having come to Tucson in November.
Letcher certainly has his hands full.