Rumors, some later confirmed, swirled around the upper levels of Albany’s city government Tuesday in what could ultimately lead to a drastic shakeup of the city’s hierarchy.

City Manager James Taylor, who’s been contemplating his exit from the city’s top post for the better part of the last year, may join now former interim Water, Gas & Light Commission General Manager Tom Berry in retirement sooner rather than later, frustrated by a number of actions taken recently by the Albany City Commission. Berry, angered over comments made by city commissioners at a meeting a week ago, announced Thursday that he was leaving the interim position he’d held for the past nine months.

Taylor, who was instrumental in bringing Berry on board to help run the city utility, had worked closely with the interim utilities director to bring WG&L fully under the city’s umbrella, for the first time creating a utilities budget that was tied in with the city’s spending plan.

Ward III Commissioner B.J. Fletcher, long a Taylor supporter, said Tuesday she’d heard rumors of Taylor’s pending departure and would no longer fight to keep him from doing so.

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