Kruzan names 3-year staff-person as new deputy mayor for 2008

Come Jan. 1, 2008, Bloomington communications director Maria Heslin will become the city’s first female deputy mayor, Mayor Mark Kruzan announced Monday.\nJames McNamara has resigned after serving for 12 years as deputy mayor under both Kruzan and former mayor John Fernandez, according to a press release. Heslin said McNamara “just decided it was time” to leave.\nHeslin has served as the city’s communications director since January 2005, according to the release. She received both her bachelor’s degree in history and master’s degree in journalism and arts administration from IU and owned a marketing communications firm in Chicago. \nKruzan said in the release that this experience as a business owner will help her in her new role, which will be “dedicated to strategic planning and management, policy development, enhancing community collaborations and strengthening Bloomington as an economically and culturally vibrant place to live, work and visit.”\n“I really look forward to working with every city staff member, plus local businesses, organizations and residents to continue making Bloomington a terrific community,” Heslin said in the release.