City Manager Search and Community Meetings

It has been reported by The Northwestern and Babblemur, a member of Citizens for Representative Democracy, or CORD, that a petition drive for a direct referendum to change the form of government has ended. Additionally, The Northwestern has opined that the council should now move forward with finding a firm to coordinate the search for a new city manager. I agree.

I was willing to wait to move forward with finding a search firm until after the mid-January deadline for a referendum had passed. I felt as though the council could use the time between now and mid-January to hold community meetings regarding what citizens wanted in city leadership and vision, and wanted to leave the meetings "generic" enough to encompass both strong-mayor and city manager forms of government.

When I initiated the community meetings discussion at the previous council meeting, it was asked if the council should hold these meetings or should such meetings be part of what the council expects of a professional search firm. I felt, at that time, since the council was willing to wait until mid-January to move forward, the community could benefit from such meetings, regardless of the form of government.

Since the referendum drive has ended, however, I feel as though the council should move forward with a discussion on a professional search firm, including whether facilitating community meetings on leadership and vision should be conducted by the firm or the council (or both). Therefore, I have noticed on the December 11th council meeting agenda a discussion on hiring a professional search firm, so the council can begin to discuss how we want to move forward with a city manager search, including the community meetings piece.

I welcome your thoughts.

-Bryan