The council is currently deciding on whether the city should have a Strong Mayor or a City Manager to head the executive branch.Wait, that's wrong.
The council is actually deciding whether to let the public decide on whether the city should have a Strong Mayor or a City Manager to head the executive branch.
The council cannot impose a type of government on the public. The citizens must choose a form of government for themselves.
No matter whether you are for a Mayor or a Manager, most would agree the public should get its way on this issue. Few folks would insist on a mayor if the majority of citizens supported a manager. Likewise, few folks would insist on a manger if the majority of citizens supported a mayor.
The city is now "between" elected mayors. The council will appoint a replacement for Gary Haakenson, but that essentially makes the new mayor a city manager. Now is the time for the public to decide, before a new mayor is elected in 2011.
While I was on the council, I was approached many times by citizens who thought a manager would do a better job than a mayor. I think it's time to let these folks take their arguments to the public and let the folks who like the mayor argue back. The debate will lead to a stronger government, because it will be clear the public supports that form of government.
So I urge the council, let the public decide.
2 comments:
Dave,
Why is the time now? What is so imperative that the city needs to vote right now to change things? This was being promoted before Gary resigned so the "between mayors" thing is really a coincidence.
You are the champion of the public having it's voice heard, so why should we condsider The mayor works for the citizens & is directly going from a system where the mayor is answerable to the voters while the manager only
answers to the majority of the council.
In this time of budgetary crisis do we need to split focus and spend another $20,000 on something that has not been shown to be a priority?
Finally, is it just a coincidence that the republican party asked its members on the council in Lynnwood and Edmonds to promote this idea, and they did?
Michael,
Those are good arguments for why we should have a strong mayor, so why would you be afraid of taking this issue to the ballot?
The city manager idea has been batted about for years. Let's let the public choose.
Whatever the outcome, our form of goverment will be backed by the majority of citizens, and therefore the government will be more effective in the long run.
Post a Comment