LAW WEEK COLORADO

Colorado House Speaker-designee Frank McNulty has quietly assembled his office team, which includes Bill Skewes, a former deputy budget director and current lobbyist, as chief of staff.

Other appointments include:

* Randy Hildreth, communications director, to the same position
* Melissa Baumgart, current minority chief of staff, to majority deputy chief
* Julie Hermann as caucus director. Hermann owns an events-planning firm.

Along with those changes, Wes Skiles, the minortiy legislative director, is joining Kaiser Permanente in a lobbying role. Jerry Wheeler, administrative aide, also has left.

Skiles’ successor is to be named shortly. McNulty announced the news in an e-mail to the Republican caucus, Hildreth said.

By winning a slender majority, the House GOP will enjoy a bigger staff budget and larger offices on the west side of the Capitol. Those offices are currently occupied by the House Democrats. An office switch is to take place Dec. 15, Hildreth said.

The appointment of Skewes, currently with CLS Public Affairs, was reported previously by The Denver Post.