Two top Baltimore officials resign from the Scott administration
Veronica Perry and Wendi Redfern are the latest senior staff to depart city government
Above: DOT Director Veronica Perry and Deputy Housing Commissioner Wendi Redfern – both are leaving Baltimore city government.
The director of Baltimore’s Transportation Department and a top staffer at housing are stepping down after short tenures, The Brew has learned.
Veronica C. Perry (formerly Veronica P. McBeth) has resigned as director of DOT, and Wendi Redfern is leaving as deputy commissioner at the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).
Redfern’s departure was confirmed by a department spokesperson this morning, while the mayor’s office refused to comment on Perry’s status until issuing a press release affirming that she is stepping down.
The reason for Redfern’s exit is unclear. But she is leaving in the wake of a Brew story that revealed that a plan to acquire 29 vacant properties in Westport from an out-of-town owner was abruptly withdrawn from the Board of Estimates agenda.
She also was behind a no-bid “emergency” contract that awards up to $1.5 million to a small Baltimore company to test for asbestos at a building the housing department is thinking of acquiring.
Neither was made available for comment today.
Leadership Turnover
Their departures continue a trend of short-term stays and considerable staff churn in city departments.
The housing agency has had three commissioners since Scott became mayor in December 2020. So has the Department of Public Works.
Perry replaced Corren Johnson, who was abruptly removed as DOT director in December 2024 after a fire at the Camp Small wood recycling plant impacted the safety of traffic on the Jones Falls Expressway.
The Brew reported last week that Terence Nash, the architect and coordinator of the mayor’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy, has also left city government.
The Baltimore Business Journal recently described ongoing “upheaval” at the Baltimore Development Corporation under CEO Otis Rolley as three executives depart the economic development agency.
Just five days ago, Perry used her LinkedIn page to announce that she was named a board member of Equiticity, a racial equity nonprofit headquartered in Chicago.
She will officially leave city government October 1, while Redfern will depart next month “to accept a new opportunity,” according to a DHCD spokesperson.
Both McBeth and Redfern worked for the same agencies in previous city administrations.
Perry was DOT transit bureau chief between 2014 and 2018, replacing Barry Robinson, who pleaded guilty to taking $90,000 in bribes while running the city’s Circulator bus network.
Redfern was an assistant DHCD commissioner for land resources and director of permits, licensing and registration during the Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Sheila Dixon administrations.
LinkedIn post by Veronica Perry lauding her appointment as a board member of a Chicago nonprofit while serving as DOT chief.
Positive Message from the Mayor
The mayor’s press office today offered an upbeat assessment of McBeth’s 20-month tenure.
“I want to thank outgoing Director Perry for her service to the City of Baltimore and her leadership of DOT,” said a statement attributed to Scott, who was traveling today with his family at Martha’s Vineyard.
According to the press release, Perry oversaw the launch of “Repave Baltimore,” a road resurfacing program, developed a strategic plan for the department and helped secure the return of the city’s underground conduit system back in-house.
“I am confident that the entire department will continue the critical work of maintaining and strengthening our transportation infrastructure day in and day out,” the mayor said.
General Services Director Berke Attila has been named interim DOT director, and Terrel Chesson, his deputy, will serve as acting DGS head.