Pueblog USa
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
City Council-City Manager or City Council-Mayor
What form of government is best suited for Pueblo
City Council-City Manager
or
City Council-Mayor
Comments to City Council
January 26, 2009
I am concerned about the situation in which we find the city government; do we keep the council-city manager form and how can that be accomplished when we find that the city is without a city manager and there is an organized group in favor of changing the government to a council-mayor form. How can the city hire a new city manager when these conditions exist? Is it the right time to consider a council-mayor form of city government and for the right reasons?
I feel, as do others, that some of the reasons to change from the council-city manager form, real or perceived are; primarily little or no transparency(the breakdown of communications between the council and city manager, and between the council, the city manager and the public); little or no justification made public of criteria or basis on which decisions on major issues are based and independent of other council members; the lack of opportunities for public input; the inefficient operation of some of the city departments; the lack of oversight of non-departmental operations, including the Urban Renewal Authority.