Two Sides of the Issue

– The City Manager announces his retirement on October 8th and will retire December 19th. Yet the Board of Supervisor will not take any formal action on this until November 7th -   

At that time a  Board member wants to discuss the following 3 items in regards to hiring the City Manager: 

 

1.   A panel of city electeds (not BOS), our department heads and representative of our bargaining units;

My response:

Other City elected officials consist of – Treasurer, Clerk, Sheriff, and Assessor – it is inappropriate and unacceptable to assume any other elected official holding any office other than the Board of Supervisor should have the authority to make this decision.

 

The idea that City Departments Directors should be involved in selecting their immediate commander and chief – I personally find this highly objectionable, how can this even be under consideration? 

 

Any representative of any bargaining unit – is strictly forbidden in selecting the next City Manager.

 

2. A panel consisting of the county managers from Storey, Douglas and Lyon

My response:

This cannot be allowed, period. How are we to going to allow City Managers from the surrounding counties have any say in OUR selection of OUR City Manager. This is absurdity at its peak.

 

3. Local citizens or representatives of local groups.

My response:

Any argument against this notion is not needed; because this is the most irrational guideline and simply cannot happen.  There will be huge doubts as to selection and the  fairness of those citizens and representatives of local groups that are allowed to participate in the selection of the next City Manager.

 

 

There is NO reason what so ever for delaying the selection of what consulting firm that the City will use to search for our next City Manager. City Staff has already contacted all interested consulting firms, and can have all their information and there is NO reason what so ever that they cannot attend a special Board meeting on the 24th of October.

 

The mere idea of waiting until November 7th to interview the consulting firms, places the city at great risk of having the position unfilled for a much greater length of time, and there is no reasonable explanation to allow such a delay.

 

As far as I know the Board determines who the consulting firm will be, there is no reason not to have a special Board meeting so that we can start the process much sooner.

And here is the big question - will the next City Manager be required to live in the community where their salary comes from ? 

 

Your thoughts –

 

JShirk@carson.org