Good morning.
Friday in Whitewater will see thunderstorms with a high of 79. Sunrise is 5:30 AM and sunset 8:31 PM for 15h 00m 12s of daytime. The moon is a waning gibbous with 95.5% of its visible disk illuminated.
On this day in 1815, Napoleon surrenders aboard HMS Bellerophon.
Whitewater, Wisconsin (population 14,889) is looking for a new city manager. The municipal government has a seven-person common council and an appointed city manager.
In Whitewater, unlike nearby towns, the city manager is expected to take a front-and-center role. In other communities, an appointed city manager plays a less public role. By contrast, in Whitewater, the city manager plays a prominent public role, as though an unelected mayor. (Every so often, Whitewater considers the idea of an elected mayor, but proposals of that sort have never succeeded.)
On 7.12.22, the six members participating in a special common council session voted unanimously to select GovHR, a consulting firm, to conduct a search for Whitewater’s next city manager. It was the right decision. Although GovHR submitted a higher-cost bid, they offered more services within that bid, and the expectation of prominence that Whitewater has for her city manager justifies a diligent, skilled search firm. (See, above, video of the full council special session.)
While a search is no guarantee of an outcome, laying a sound foundation for a city manager search is sensible. (When the search firm presents its candidates, the Whitewater Common Council will then have an obligation to choose wisely among the prospects offered or demand new candidates.)
The goal of the search should be to find someone who will assure the daily, practical management of a limited and responsible city government.
Video shows pilot landing stricken small plane on highway:
One could argue that an overly weighted focus on a “front-and-center” role led down a path where there was a definite loss of focus on “daily, practical management of a limited and responsible city government”. One hopes all elected officials appreciate the gravity of the road ahead and their responsibility to the residents of Whitewater.
Yes, and anyone arguing along those lines would have a strong point. Indeed, my own implication, that Whitewater’s traditional expectation of a front-and-center managerial role will continue, represents a resigned skepticism that’s perhaps too resigned and too skeptical. The past needn’t so constrain the present.
You’ve sensibly reminded me that the community and its elected representatives can set their own, present course.
Of gravity: there may be policy differences among officials along the way, but I am hopeful that Whitewater’s council members will act with appreciation of the moment.
My best,
Adams