As Lynnwood votes on replacing its mayor-council form of government with a council-manager system, here are some perspectives on the two systems from current and former elected officials in nearby cities:
Former Edmonds Mayor and current Deputy Snohomish County Executive Gary Haakenson said Thursday that the best form of government depends on the culture of the city.
He said that people in Edmonds like to be able to talk to a chief executive, whom they have elected,
He said that he had an advantage when he was elected mayor because he was familiar with City government from his years on the City Council and also had run a business with the complexity of the City. Still, he said, he had a learning curve in developing competence in running a city.
He said that a professional city manager is prepared by training and experience to step right in.
Haakenson is backing challenger Dave Earling in the election for Edmonds mayor, However, he said, he knows that Earling, even with experience on the City Council, in State agencies and in private business, would have a time of adjustment if he becomes mayor.
He said that a city manager’s ability to step right in is why the council-manager system has worked for new cities like Mill Creek and Shoreline.
Lake Forest Park Mayor Dave Hutchison, who is about to retire after four four-year terms presiding over a city with a mayor-council system, likes his current situation.
Hutchison said Thursday that he has a freedom that an appointed manager doesn’t have to speak out on public issues and to represent his city to other public officials, including the governor without getting approval from a majority of the city council.
Hutchison said that an elected mayor, like an appointed manager, must be a good manager.
Still, Hutchison said that he appreciates having a trained City administrator. Hutchison is paid as a half-time mayor but has a full-time hired administrator to supervise city department heads. This once was true in both Edmonds and Lynnwood.
Former Shoreline Councilman Rich Gustafson, who served two terms in the council-manager system, says he prefers that form of government.
“The main reason is that with the council-manager system the most important task of the council is to hire and monitor a professional city manager, he said, “You need someone who is trained in city government and has shown that they know the ups and downs of city government. Most city managers have a college degree in public administration. Many managers are expected to have a master’s degree also.
“An elected Mayor may not have any of these skills and often have difficulty understanding and running a city government.”
Former Shoreline Councilman Bob Ransom, who was presided over the Council as mayor but has worked with both types of cities as a human-resources consultant, says he sees advantages and disadvantages to both systems.
Ransom said this:
“City managers are, by law, the chief executive officers of the city, and that is where the problem starts. The average manager lasts only five years. The managers that last 20 years or more see themselves as chief administrative officers, and let the council argue out policy and don’t take action until the council has a clear policy. The council supports managers that act that way.
“Managers who push that they are the CEO push particular policies and end up dividing the council and preferring one side over the other. When the balance of power shifts they are out of a job.
“The advantage of a City Manager is they almost always have an appropriate education of a master of public administration degree that emphasized city administration and have several years of relevant experience. In short they are well qualified.
“A strong Mayor system, rewards individuals who can put together a good coalition of support groups to win a majority of voters.
“They are usually experienced as city council members and have political experience. Sometimes they are company executives, bringing their business experience to the job. To often in small cities, the person elected has no management experience and create problems, especially in difficult times. In a city of 33,000 the mayor usually has only mid-level management experience if any prior to election. A strong mayor is usually much more sensitive to public opinion than a city manager.
“A Mayor, usually, will work with the council who is elected by the same voters to make a negotiated compromise.”
Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
