Vancouver mayor dumps city manager

In his first week on job, Vancouver's new mayor has announced a major shakeup at city hall.

Mayor Gregor Robertson and his new city council announced Friday they have decided to replace the city's top bureaucrat, city manager Judy Rogers.

In her place, the council has already hired Penny Ballem, a former deputy minister of health for B.C.'s Liberal government

Ballem, who was one of Canada's most experienced deputy health ministers, resigned from that position in June 2006 over concerns about how the Campbell government was running the province's health care system.

Robertson said the decision was made this morning, and Judy Rogers has accepted a severance package in line with her 20 years of employment with the city.

Rogers, who has served as city manager since 1999, was the highest paid employee at city hall with a pay package worth $292,000 in 2007.

The departure of Rogers is the second change in the top management at city hall under the new mayor and council

The city's chief financial officer, Estelle Lo, resigned just after the Nov. 15 civic election.