The news couldn’t be much worse: New Orleans Inspector General Bob Cerasoli is leaving. He will return home to Boston today (Friday, Jan. 30) for health reasons. Somehow I can’t help feeling his personal cancer scare — so far, the growths detected and removed from his neck have not been malignant — are metaphoric of the cancer inflicted upon city government by official corruption, incompetence and arrogance. This is indeed a sad day in New Orleans, but I cannot blame Mr. Cerasoli one bit for wanting to be near his family at this time. We should instead be grateful that he gave us the time and energy that he has.

One thing I learned from Hurricane Katrina is that bad news isn’t final. In the aftermath of the storm, I was constantly amazed at how, not long after “bad news” arrived, somehow something good came of it. I know this may sound Pollyannish, but I swear it happened time and again in those dark days after Katrina. Bad stuff would happen, it would knock me for a loop, and then — usually after I decided I needed to deal with whatever was in front of me at the time — something amazingly good would happen. I hope that’s the case for the Inspector General’s Office and the city’s Ethics Review Board.

Bob Cerasoli set a high standard. He gave us a template for what the office must become. He taught us to demand more and better from our elected officials. He set things in motion. Above all, he gave us hope. We owe it to him — and ourselves — to keep his drive alive. He always said this effort was not about him, but about the job and the need for transparency, integrity and accountability at City Hall. Now it’s up to us to make sure his words prove true.

I just got off the phone with Kevin Wildes, president of Loyola University and chairman of the Ethics Review Board of New Orleans. Here's his official statement on the resignation of Robert Cerasoli:

January 30, 2009

For personal reasons of health, Robert A. Cerasoli has resigned as the Inspector General for the City of New Orleans. On behalf of myself and the other members of the New Orleans Ethics Review Board, we are profoundly grateful to Bob for his tireless work in establishing this office, hiring outstanding staff, and moving the office forward.

Bob’s pioneering work in the establishment of this office has made a lasting contribution to the quality of life for all citizens of New Orleans. We are most fortunate to have had such an experienced man with such high standards of integrity to serve as the city’s first inspector general. We respect Bob’s decision and his right to privacy with regard to medical matters. That said, we wish him well in his continued medical treatment and pray for his speedy and complete recovery.

As chairman of the Ethics Review Board, I am authorized to appoint an interim inspector general from among senior staff in the office. (See City Code, Chapter 2, Article XIII, Section 9-1120 entitled "Office of Inspector General, #3 “Appointment.”)

I have asked Leonard C. Odom, First Assistant for Criminal Investigations, to serve as interim inspector general. Leonard's career as an inspector general is long and distinguished.

He has more than 30 years of experience in management; income tax and internal affairs investigations; knowledge of financial, performance and compliance audits; fraud, political corruption and contractor fraud investigations; internal safety and security; ethics programs and general investigations.

Leonard is a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Inspectors General and has served as its president for the past two years. Previously, he has served as Inspector General for the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA); Regional Inspector General of Investigations for the U.S. Department of Treasury; and Assistant Chief, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Most recently, he served in the Inspector General’s Office of Washington, D.C. as Assistant Inspector General for Investigations.

The New Orleans Ethics Review Board will begin a national search immediately to fill the position of City Inspector General. As the ordinance specifies, we will only consider someone who is a Certified Inspector General.

We are confident that the sound foundation built by Bob Cerasoli will be capably administered by Interim Inspector General Leonard Odom, and that the transition in the continuing operations of the Office of Inspector General will be seamless.