Building One City
The "Why" Behind the Organizational Realignment
Curious about the new organizational alignment? We’re building One City, a simple idea with a big impact. It means working together: fewer silos; stronger teamwork; and a shared focus on serving our employees, residents, and community. One City is about connecting people, aligning priorities, and making sure City government works as one team with one purpose: delivering results for Wilmington.
Increased Efficiency
Before March 9, many operational responsibilities were spread among different areas of the organization. Good work was happening, but too often teams were working separately on responsibilities that naturally made more sense together. By bringing related services to one team, we can move faster, collaborate better, and cut down on duplication. When the right people are working together in the right place, decisions happen quicker and results happen faster for the people we serve.
A great example is Communications and Engagement. While the City already had a centralized department, communication, marketing, education, and engagement roles were still spread across areas like Public Works, Fire, and Parks and Recreation. Bringing those roles together under one Communications and Engagement team means one playbook, consistent standards, stronger storytelling, and a clearer strategy across the entire organization.
Another example is Community Risk Reduction, Community Sustainability, and Community Resiliency were previously spread across different departments. Important work was happening, but too often it lived in separate areas without shared visibility, coordination, or a unified strategy. Now, those efforts are brought together under our new Community Building Department.
More Cost-Effective
Being cost-effective is not just about spending less, it is about working smarter. It means looking at the talent, resources, and systems we have and asking a simple question: What is the smartest and most effective way to get this work done?
Sometimes, the most effective and cost-conscious solution is bringing work in-house instead of relying on outside services. For example, external property management responsibilities were reassigned to existing staff who already had the right skill sets, reducing the need for outside support while creating stronger internal roles and making better use of the team already in place.
In other cases, employees who were in limited-use positions, like full-time surveying, were moved into full-time construction inspector roles where their work is needed every day. Specialized surveying services can still be handled by contractors when needed, but we are no longer carrying full-time costs for work that is only needed occasionally. It is about using skilled employees in the places where their skills create the most value.
It also means improving the way departments work behind the scenes. For years, departments billed each other for services even though the funding came from the same overall City budget. That created extra paperwork, extra approvals, and extra time spent moving money around instead of moving work forward. Now, those costs are managed in one place, reducing unnecessary administrative burden and helping teams stay focused on service delivery.
The same is true for shared costs like utilities. Instead of every department managing those expenses separately, we are creating a simpler and more efficient system with fewer barriers, less red tape, and better coordination.
This approach ultimately helped eliminate 29 unnecessary positions, but not people. By utilizing existing vacancies to reassign responsibilities and organize work more effectively, the City created a net decrease in full-time positions while staying under budget.
This is not a one-time fix. Realignment is an ongoing effort, and we will continue looking for opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen operations, and make sure every dollar is working as hard as possible for the people we serve.
Improved Customer Service
Getting help from the City should feel simple, not like solving a puzzle. Residents should not have to figure out which department handles what just to get an answer.
That is why a clearer structure matters. It helps us respond faster, communicate better, and create a smoother experience for the people we serve.
For example, zoning enforcement used to live in Planning and Development, while code enforcement was in Housing and Neighborhood Services. Now, both are together under one Compliance Director. Instead of bouncing between departments trying to find the right person, residents have one place to start. This department becomes the front door for many business and resident interactions.
One call for your needs, and we take it from there.
Increased Focus
Great work happens when people know what matters most. And great government happens when the work that matters most has the focus, visibility, and support it deserves.
This realignment helps make that happen by bringing related priorities together, strengthening service delivery, and creating clearer ownership across the organization.
The same idea applies to operational services. Things like Skyline Center maintenance, facility upkeep, stormwater and road right-of-way maintenance, leasing services, fleet, and property acquisition were previously managed across seven different departments. Now, those services are organized under one Asset and Property Management Department, with clear divisions for facility maintenance and fleet services. Less confusion, less overlap, and a much stronger system built to keep the organization running smoothly.
That means stronger focus, better coordination, and clearer accountability while elevating major organizational priorities for the future of Wilmington.
Better Government
Realignment is not just about where the work lives, it is about how the work gets done. It means looking beyond organizational charts and taking a closer look at the everyday processes behind the scenes that impact efficiency, cost-effectiveness, customer service, and accountability. We are asking simple but important questions: Does this process still make sense? Are we creating unnecessary steps? Are we using resources wisely? How can we make it easier for employees to do great work and simpler for residents to get the services they need?
If something adds complexity without adding value, it is time to rethink it. The goal is not change for the sake of change, but to build a stronger, simpler, and more connected organization. At its core, this realignment is about making government work better by reducing red tape, improving service, protecting taxpayer dollars, and creating a City that works smarter for everyone.
Want to know more?
We hope this helps make the organizational realignment a little easier to understand.
Sometimes realignment can feel like a lot on paper, but when you break it down, it is really about doing what makes sense and making sure the right work is happening in the right place.
This is not a one-time change, but an ongoing evolution. As our city grows and the needs of our community change, we will continue looking for ways to improve how we work, strengthen service delivery, and make City government more efficient, effective, and responsive. Realignment is about building a stronger foundation that can grow with Wilmington for years to come.
If you would like to see the full organizational structure and updated department outlines, explore the flipping book below for the complete organizational charts and department breakdowns.