Council/city Manager form of government

[deeray]

Is it time to consider changing our city government structure to a council/city manager.
OKC went to this years ago?  

We would get continuity through administration changes, more accountibility in decisions and  less questionable "deals".

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by deeray

Is it time to consider changing our city government structure to a council/city manager.
OKC went to this years ago?  

We would get continuity through administration changes, more accountibility in decisions and  less questionable "deals".

I don't know about the "deals". Those are always in the works. But I like the idea of a city manager that makes sure operational stuff gets done regardless of council/mayor changes. Flip flopping from one direction to the next is wasteful. He would provide continuity, especially if he is non partisan and required to have professional city management training.

What would be the role of the Mayor?

[sgrizzle]

Didn't we already do this?

[deeray]

The Mayor is one of the council.  Normally elected by the council.  Could be a one year or possibly a 2 year term.  The cities I have dealt with elected a new one yearly.

Since there is a professional City Manager handling the day to day management of the city departments....continutity would remain. So would accountability.

This manager should be over all groups including the Tulsa housing authority.

All of the council will always know what is going on.  City Managers do not make major decisions on their own.  They look for directions from the ENTIRE council.

We need a combined effort.  Not a Mayor doing as they please.

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by deeray

The Mayor is one of the council.  Normally elected by the council.  Could be a one year or possibly a 2 year term.  The cities I have dealt with elected a new one yearly.

Since there is a professional City Manager handling the day to day management of the city departments....continutity would remain. So would accountability.

This manager should be over all groups including the Tulsa housing authority.

All of the council will always know what is going on.  City Managers do not make major decisions on their own.  They look for directions from the ENTIRE council.

We need a combined effort.  Not a Mayor doing as they please.

And you think changing government will keep the Mayor out of influencing the City Manager?

It's not the style of government, it's the people steering the ship.

[GG]

quote:Originally posted by deeray

The Mayor is one of the council.  Normally elected by the council.  Could be a one year or possibly a 2 year term.  The cities I have dealt with elected a new one yearly.

Since there is a professional City Manager handling the day to day management of the city departments....continutity would remain. So would accountability.

This manager should be over all groups including the Tulsa housing authority.

All of the council will always know what is going on.  City Managers do not make major decisions on their own.  They look for directions from the ENTIRE council.

We need a combined effort.  Not a Mayor doing as they please.

That is the form of government we have here in Owasso.  

Another good thing about it is the entire city will vote in an election for a councilor however  they do have to live in the district they represent.   It keeps ward politics from occurring like you are starting to get in Tulsa.

[deeray]

Yes, it was changed to the strong mayor/council.....Wrong decision.  This needs to be revisited.

What we have now is a total disaster.

[deeray]

The Mayor is more or less a team leader or figure head  ....the mayor does not   make decisions on their own.  It is voted on by the council.

Broken Arrow and OKC are also Council/ manager.

[deeray]

The Mayor is more or less a team leader or figure head  ....the mayor does not   make decisions on their own.  It is voted on by the council.

Broken Arrow and OKC are also Council/ manager.

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by unreliablesource

quote:Originally posted by deeray

The Mayor is one of the council.  Normally elected by the council.  Could be a one year or possibly a 2 year term.  The cities I have dealt with elected a new one yearly.

Since there is a professional City Manager handling the day to day management of the city departments....continutity would remain. So would accountability.

This manager should be over all groups including the Tulsa housing authority.

All of the council will always know what is going on.  City Managers do not make major decisions on their own.  They look for directions from the ENTIRE council.

We need a combined effort.  Not a Mayor doing as they please.

That is the form of government we have here in Owasso.  

Another good thing about it is the entire city will vote in an election for a councilor however  they do have to live in the district they represent.   It keeps ward politics from occurring like you are starting to get in Tulsa.

You do the same in Tulsa right now.

[Wrinkle]

I'd definitely like to reconsider the possibilities. The current system is broken.

Our Mayor has too much power. The rest is given off to the various Boards, Authorities and Commissions, leaving the Council with little to do.

A City Manager which re-coagulates many of the Authorities into the body would help, imo. I don't much like the 'figurehead Mayor'. The Mayor should be able to initiate, even lead  actions with a majority of Council involved (not just an approval vote of a pre-packaged deal).

There are better ways, imo.

Here's once where 'like OKC' may fit.

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by Hoss

quote:Originally posted by deeray

The Mayor is one of the council.  Normally elected by the council.  Could be a one year or possibly a 2 year term.  The cities I have dealt with elected a new one yearly.

Since there is a professional City Manager handling the day to day management of the city departments....continutity would remain. So would accountability.

This manager should be over all groups including the Tulsa housing authority.

All of the council will always know what is going on.  City Managers do not make major decisions on their own.  They look for directions from the ENTIRE council.

We need a combined effort.  Not a Mayor doing as they please.

And you think changing government will keep the Mayor out of influencing the City Manager?

It's not the style of government, it's the people steering the ship.

The people steering never change personalities. Its the design of the ship I'm afraid. By dissipating the influence and power of the mayor, and redesigning the work flow of all the parties, this city might escape the stranglehold of contrarian interests. Like Wrinkle says, its the boards and authorities that need managing.

My concern with the change would be a lack of leadership with a weakened mayor. Although OKC seemed to find it in Cornett and others. Good managers are not necessarily good leaders.

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by deeray

The Mayor is one of the council.  Normally elected by the council.  

no thats not always the case.  maybe in smaller cities.  but in OKC the mayor is elected by the people.  Over in Fayetteville they mayor is elected and gets to serve as the tie breaker on city council.  it is a great way to run a city.

and if you do this, you could distribute the mayor salary and give all the councilors a raise.  Hell, if you get rid of the mayor's cabinet you could probably distribute all that money to the councilors and get that size raise that Henderson was wanting....but I'd want the councilors doing a LOT more than they do now.


and BTW, I already mentioned this in the who's running for mayor thread.  If you will run with the platform I described there I will vote for you.

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

quote:Originally posted by deeray

The Mayor is one of the council.  Normally elected by the council.  

no thats not always the case.  maybe in smaller cities.  but in OKC the mayor is elected by the people.  Over in Fayetteville they mayor is elected and gets to serve as the tie breaker on city council.  it is a great way to run a city.

and if you do this, you could distribute the mayor salary and give all the councilors a raise.  Hell, if you get rid of the mayor's cabinet you could probably distribute all that money to the councilors and get that size raise that Henderson was wanting....but I'd want the councilors doing a LOT more than they do now.


and BTW, I already mentioned this in the who's running for mayor thread.  If you will run with the platform I described there I will vote for you.

If you're soliciting for who you're going to vote for based on the platform they'd run, you'd do better to run yourself...


....hey, actually...

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by Hoss

quote:Originally posted by inteller

quote:Originally posted by deeray

The Mayor is one of the council.  Normally elected by the council.  

no thats not always the case.  maybe in smaller cities.  but in OKC the mayor is elected by the people.  Over in Fayetteville they mayor is elected and gets to serve as the tie breaker on city council.  it is a great way to run a city.

and if you do this, you could distribute the mayor salary and give all the councilors a raise.  Hell, if you get rid of the mayor's cabinet you could probably distribute all that money to the councilors and get that size raise that Henderson was wanting....but I'd want the councilors doing a LOT more than they do now.


and BTW, I already mentioned this in the who's running for mayor thread.  If you will run with the platform I described there I will vote for you.

If you're soliciting for who you're going to vote for based on the platform they'd run, you'd do better to run yourself...


....hey, actually...

 i think if you submit a platform that has a lot of support, someone will run on it.