When Claypool became the CEO and Superintendent of the CPD, the District had a budget of $300 million as well as a payroll of 4,100 full-time employees and roughly an equal number of seasonal employees. Despite this extraordinarily large payroll, many basic services were not being performed. Under Claypool's tenure and Daley's command, many of the politically appointed positions were eliminated and many employees were forced to reapply for their jobs. By 1996, the payroll had fallen to 3,000 full-time employees while services improved according to many groups that studied the parks.