Why can't we post on the Charter Page?

Not good enought to Post · Why can't we post on the Charter Page?

Council is also responsible for the transition of powers, not just the hiring of a manger. What have they talked about on this topic?

not to worry

If you would go to council meetings or go to the city office and get transcripts of meetings, ask more questions here, email or call your council members, mayor, and etc., you would know the charter is being strickly adhered to. It is a subject discussed at almost every council meeting.

Everything is checked with the City Attorney as they move forward. They are now going through the City Manager hiring process, carefully moving and sticking strickly to the new charter. You would be very pleased to observe council, the mayor and the city attorney's respect for the changes and their need to follow the new charter. They are all working very closely with each other and they are doing an excellent job. Keep in mind, it is councils', the city attorney's and mayor's job to comply and they are doing just that--as they must.

The mayor is currently the acting city manager in many respects, as outlined by our City Attorney, until a city manager is hired. (any questions about all her authority and duties would be best answered by asking council or the city attorney.) This was enacted using the advise of the City Attorney several months ago.

When a city manger is hired, the complete transition will start to take place. Have questions? Ask your council members, they always respond. Their contact info is posted on this forum.

Way Worried

I do follow Council and I disagree with your assesement. According to Article XX, 20.2 (1) “the plan” that must include articulated points that have not been prepared, let alone presented to the public. The dead line for this presentation is November 1st, 2008 - 3 days away.

ARTICLE XX. TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
20.1 Purpose of Transitional Provisions. The purpose of this Article is to provide for an orderly transition from the present City government to a Council-Mayor-Manager form of government under provisions of this Charter. The provisions of this Article shall constitute a part of this Charter only to the extent necessary to accomplish that purpose.

20.2 Effective Date of Charter. This Charter shall become effective immediately upon voter approval at the special election that shall be held for the purpose of considering this Charter, except that the existence and effective date of the City Manager position, and the impact that the existence of the City Manager position will have on the powers and duties of the Mayor and City Council, as those powers exist today, shall be as follows:

(1) By November 1, 2008, the City Council shall prepare and present to the public in the form of a resolution a plan for the recruitment and hiring of a City Manager and a plan for the transition of powers currently possessed by the Mayor and Council to those established in this Charter to be held by the City Manager. The plan shall include, at a minimum, the development of a City Manager job description, appropriation of monies for a national recruitment effort, setting of a reasonable salary range, and a timeline for the transition of powers from the Mayor and Council to the City Manager, including provisions for the transfer of the Council President’s powers to the Mayor and provisions for phasing out and eventually abolishing the City’s Personnel Board as the City Manager takes over those personnel duties.

Grummble

The Mayor is not the current "acting" City Manager, the Mayor is the Mayor, period. Only a Department Head can be the acting City Manager.

9.1(4) No current or former elected official shall be considered for appointment to the office of City Manager unless and until he or she has been out of office for at least a period of two (2) years.
9.1(5) The City Manager may appoint a department head to function in his or her capacity as the Acting City Manager during temporary absences of the City Manager. In the case of a vacancy in the office of City Manager, the Council may appoint, by a vote of at least four (4) Council members, a department head to function as the Acting City Manager until the office of City Manager is filled.

Here we go again. Now I see why they wanted a Charter Compliance Board. By the way, where is that Board? Oh yeah, in their infinite wisdom Council conveniently forgot to appoint that Board.

Stop grumbling

I think that it is useless and probably a little dangerous to appoint a charter compliance board until the city settles into the new charter. There are a lot of changes that need to happen, and having a compliance board now would just send things into needless turmoil.
Council has an attorney that has been advising them on the implementation of the charter. It is not like they are just ignoring things.

Guest

makes me question the lawyers

Reasonable

I'm not so sure about that.
11.6 Charter Review and Compliance Commission. (1) The Charter Review and Compliance Commission is hereby established, consisting of five (5) members and one (1) alternate to be appointed by the Council. The members shall be appointed for three-year overlapping terms, and the commission’s duties to report to the City Council or the City Manager shall be set by Ordinance.
It doesn't say the Commission will be established at some future point convenient to the City Council or City Attorney or when we have a Manager on board. It says it is established, period. It existed the moment we voted for a new Charter. Council needs to pass an ordinance and populate the Commission. I don't think the Commission is going to go off half cocked while we go through the transitional period, but it does need to start establishing it's by-laws and rules of proceedure.