The chairman of the Monroe City Council's finance committee, Mark Coplien, on Tuesday revealed an apparent and welcome turn in thinking regarding having a professional and appointed leader of city government.
Coplien said the city needs to find a way to hire a city manager. He used the word "manager" rather than "administrator," which is important. More on that in a minute.
Monroe has been without professional leadership at City Hall since Mark Vahlsing, the city's first administrator, was fired by the council last May. Saying the budget was too tight to afford an administrator, the council decided late last year to wait until at least 2010 to fill the position.
At the time, we said that was a bad decision, that for many reasons city government needs a trained, professional leader at the helm. Having the part-time, elected mayor be the "go-to" person at City Hall may work in the short term, but not in the long run. Aldermen on Tuesday indicated it's not working so well in the short term, either.
"We have people stumbling all over each other," said Alderman Chuck Schuringa, one of five council members to indicate an interest in getting the position filled.
That's a positive step, and the council should work hard to find money in the budget to follow through. Once that is done, aldermen must be thorough in their search for a leader who has the skills and professional qualifications for the position.
The council must tread carefully on whether to hire an administrator or a manager. There is a difference.
According to the Wisconsin City/County Management Association (WCMA), a council-manager form of government must be formed by charter ordinance, which requires a two-thirds vote. Chapter 64 of the Wisconsin State Statutes describes the major responsibilities of the manager and council, but makes no reference to a mayor. The president of the council is the highest elected official, although the city can designate the council president to carry the title of mayor, according to the WCMA.
"The council-manager form has the advantage of a clear separation of administrative and legislative responsibility and of being statutorily recognized," the WCMA says. "The administrator form has the advantages of retaining the position of mayor and of being more flexible with regard to specific community needs."
Coplien said he prefers the term "manager," and thinks one could be hired for less than the cost of an administrator. That remains to be seen. In the meantime, council members should begin a long-needed public discussion about how city government should be run. What responsibilities should a professional manager or administrator have? What role should a mayor play, if there is to be one at all?
Coplien said the city needs to find a way to hire a city manager. He used the word "manager" rather than "administrator," which is important. More on that in a minute.
Monroe has been without professional leadership at City Hall since Mark Vahlsing, the city's first administrator, was fired by the council last May. Saying the budget was too tight to afford an administrator, the council decided late last year to wait until at least 2010 to fill the position.
At the time, we said that was a bad decision, that for many reasons city government needs a trained, professional leader at the helm. Having the part-time, elected mayor be the "go-to" person at City Hall may work in the short term, but not in the long run. Aldermen on Tuesday indicated it's not working so well in the short term, either.
"We have people stumbling all over each other," said Alderman Chuck Schuringa, one of five council members to indicate an interest in getting the position filled.
That's a positive step, and the council should work hard to find money in the budget to follow through. Once that is done, aldermen must be thorough in their search for a leader who has the skills and professional qualifications for the position.
The council must tread carefully on whether to hire an administrator or a manager. There is a difference.
According to the Wisconsin City/County Management Association (WCMA), a council-manager form of government must be formed by charter ordinance, which requires a two-thirds vote. Chapter 64 of the Wisconsin State Statutes describes the major responsibilities of the manager and council, but makes no reference to a mayor. The president of the council is the highest elected official, although the city can designate the council president to carry the title of mayor, according to the WCMA.
"The council-manager form has the advantage of a clear separation of administrative and legislative responsibility and of being statutorily recognized," the WCMA says. "The administrator form has the advantages of retaining the position of mayor and of being more flexible with regard to specific community needs."
Coplien said he prefers the term "manager," and thinks one could be hired for less than the cost of an administrator. That remains to be seen. In the meantime, council members should begin a long-needed public discussion about how city government should be run. What responsibilities should a professional manager or administrator have? What role should a mayor play, if there is to be one at all?
