Comments on: Knight Thinks Somethings Not Right

By: jw

jw — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:57:57 +0000

Ryan,

I agree with you. Not even the Mayor is a full-time employee and I don’t believe the City Council should be hiring, firing, or micromanaging the day-to-day operations. That’s what they hire the manager to do.

By: ryan

ryan — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:56:26 +0000

Brenda,

So you think the council should be available to provide advice to department heads when a dispute between the dept head and the city manager occur (item 4 on your 12-31-07 post)?

I just don’t see this working at all. You have part-time council members essentially having CEO like powers. In addition these individuals are not elected to be an expert on all the various deprtments so how could they possibly have the ability to make correct decisions?

I simply look at this like a business. If a Board of Directors (City Council) is not happy with the CEO’s (City Manager) performance then the BOD has the ability to fire the CEO and hire a new one.

And Brenda, please remember this is simply a discussion and by no means am I coming down on your thoughts.

Ryan

By: Brenda Bowers

Brenda Bowers — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:03:41 +0000

Good questions Ryan. I answered them on my blog yesterday and the day before. BB

By: ryan

ryan — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:32:52 +0000

Billy,

First, I hope you are having a Happy New Year. I am currently reading Rudy Giulianis book titled Leadership. I am not reading the book because of political affiliation… but because of the topic he is covering. The first two chapters provide great insight on the vast differences of how our city government is set up and how a city like NY is set up. It has been a good read up to this point and I would suggest you pick up a copy if you have not already read it.

I am not sure it would be appropriate to allow part-time council members to have the power of hiring and firing department heads. They currently have one person to manage and many individuals in the community have stated that the council can’t even manage that one person correctly. If you follow that belief do you think it would be appropriate to give them additional power to reign over department heads? (Simply a question, not saying you are right or wrong.)

Ryan

By: Bubba

Bubba — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:20:31 +0000

“Knight Thinks Somethings Not Right”

Inaccurate headline. More properly, it should read.

Knight KNOWS Somethings Not Right.

He’s not alone.

By: Billy The Blogging Poet

Billy The Blogging Poet — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:10:52 +0000

First a new city manager must be found One who doesn’t tolerate dirty cops.

Then the power to hire and fire department heads must be put in the hands of the city council.