Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder shifted course today and nominated a senior member of his staff as acting chief administrative officer.

Wilder named Chris Beschler, currently director of public utilities and deputy CAO of operations, to temporarily fill the job left open by the sudden resignation of Sheila Hill-Christian a week ago.

Beschler is well-regarded both by the mayor and members of City Council, especially for his role in responding to flooding in Shockoe Bottom and Battery Park. He and former Emergency Management Director Benjamin Johnson secured federal disaster aid to quickly replace a major sewer line that collapsed and caused flooding of neighborhoods around Battery Park during Tropical Storm Ernesto in 2006.

"Everyone in City Hall knows that Chris Beschler is a tireless professional who gets the job done," Wilder said today. "He has proven himself in his current position and I have every confidence he will serve the City well as Acting CAO."

Council is expected to confirm the nomination quickly.

Wilder originally had proposed to split the chief administrative duties between Beschler and Chief Financial Officer Harry E. Black, who was rejected twice by council for the same job last year after the resignation of the Richmond's first CAO, William Harrell.

However, the mayor acknowledged today that the City Charter requires the appointment of an acting CAO from within the city's top administration.

Wilder does not intend to fill the job on a permanent basis before he leaves office in January.