ST. LOUIS — One of Comptroller Darlene Green’s top deputies has been demoted and is now on leave, creating another hole in an office already dealing with staff turnover while it works to adopt a new accounting system and keep up with the city’s financial transactions.
LaTaunia Kenner had been one of Green’s two deputy comptrollers, handling the side of the office dealing with public finance and development as well as other duties such as real estate and the city’s Amtrak and Greyhound station. She is now listed as “Fiscal Operations Support Manager-Real Estate” on the comptroller’s website. People who spoke to the Post-Dispatch on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution said she is now on leave from the office.
It isn’t the first time Green has sidelined a top deputy.
Kenner got the job after the sudden ouster of James Garavaglia, a veteran employee who rose through the ranks to become deputy comptroller in 2016, a position he held for three years before being escorted out of City Hall by an armed marshal in July 2019. Garavaglia sued in 2020, alleging Green forced him out to make way for Kenner, but a judge dismissed the case last year.
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In 2016, Green put her chief of staff, longtime employee Elaine Spearman, on forced leave, according to court documents. Spearman’s position was later eliminated from the office.
It’s unclear why Kenner’s responsibilities were reduced. Kenner could not be reached via an email address and phone number listed for her.
Green, in an email response to questions about Kenner’s status, said she was not “obliged to entertain or address” what she called “rumors.”
Reminded that her office’s page on the city’s website no longer lists Kenner as deputy comptroller, Green responded: “My quote which is in quotations is an accurate quote.”
Kenner’s departure comes as Beverly Fitzsimmons, the office’s other deputy comptroller who oversees city accounting duties, prepares to retire. She had been planning to retire but agreed to stay on through the end of the year, according to a person familiar with the matter. Fitzsimmons has worked for city government since 1980.
Green has recently lost other employees. Her spokesman left last year and has not been replaced. And two employees who handled duties related to major developments and tax incentives recently retired, contributing to delays redeeming tax incentives agreed to with Union Station’s redeveloper. The City Counselor’s office has now recommended hiring a firm to review the tax incentive financials maintained by Green’s office.
And Green herself has acknowledged a messy rollout of a new citywide accounting system after an alderman complained at a budget hearing about city contractors waiting months to get paid. She blamed the city’s consultant, Accenture, for much of the issue.
Kenner had held a relatively high profile role in recent years, helping to finalize the deal to issue the city’s half of $210 million in bonds for the ongoing expansion of the downtown convention center. She represented Green’s office and chaired a panel made up of officials from the city, St. Louis County and the Convention and Visitors Commission that coordinated the project. Its last meeting, on May 23, was chaired by Kenner.
Kenner also represented Green on the St. Louis Municipal Finance Corporation, which oversees many city bond issues.
But on July 5, at the Municipal Finance Corporation’s annual meeting, Kenner, the chair, wasn’t there. Green was.
Mayor Tishaura O. Jones’ Director of Operations, Nancy Cross, opened the meeting, saying it was “her understanding” that Kenner was “on leave right now.”
“And as a result, as the vice-chair, I’m chairing this meeting,” Cross said.
Green chimed in: “I have sent a written revocation of my designee as required by the bylaws,” she said. “My representative is hereby revoked immediately.”
The five-member panel — made up of Cross, City Counselor Sheena Hamilton, Aldermanic President Megan Green’s chief of staff Jay Nelson, Budget Director Paul Payne and Comptroller Green — voted unanimously to elect Comptroller Green as president.
“The comptroller has resumed her role as president of the fund corporation,” Cross said. ”And I will hand it over to you at this particular moment if you would like, Madame Comptroller.”
Austin Huguelet of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.