Opinion: It’s time to consider council-manager government

As your City Council member, one of the greatest responsibilities I have is to vote on how your tax dollars are spent. I do not take this responsibility lightly. Gig Harbor is a municipal corporation with a $98.4 million dollar budget for the year 2021. Our city issues are complex, just like corporations. CEO’s of successful corporations are educated, trained and experienced to manage complex issues.

Under the council-manager form of government, managers (similar to CEO’s) are required to be experienced, educated and trained to handle an expanding budget of $98.4 million, over 100 employees and other city issues.

City managers are accountable to and can be hired or replaced by the elected city council. Many people believe this gives city voters more influence at city hall. Many people believe this reduces cronyism.

Under our strong mayor form of government, there is no requirement for any education, training or experience in managing an enormous budget, 100+ employees or anything else.

If there is a city administrator, he or she serves at the pleasure of a “strong mayor” and is not accountable to the council.

Record of costs

Since 2018, under our strong mayor form of government, two city administrators have left the city. Our city is on our third city administrator. Forty-five employees have left (some retired), and another 33 employees, according to the employee survey, say they are looking to leave.

In 2016 the city spent only $17,000 on a labor attorney. In 2020, the city spent $146,000 on our labor attorney. Add to that the incalculable time and costs to interview, and train new employees and the draining of knowledge that goes with employees when they leave.

In 2016 there was one person working on HR issues. In 2021 there are three employees working on HR issues.

In 2020 the city spent at least $250,000 of YOUR money on employee issues. This amount will surge in 2021. Would you willingly invest your money in any corporation with this record and management style?

An accountable manager

A Council-Manager form of government has seven elected council members, including a mayor. The council would hire a city manager to professionally administer the city through council votes on direction and policies. If the manager does not follow through on the goal of the council, that manager can be fired and replaced at any time by the council. The manager is accountable to the elected city council every day.

Under our current strong mayor form of government, your elected council has no power to hold anyone accountable for the hemorrhaging of your tax dollars. As you can easily see, employee issues alone, at $250,000-plus is a large amount that could have been put to better public use.

This conversation has nothing to do with any individual or our current mayor. It has everything to do with the responsible future management of Gig Harbor and to our taxpaying citizens. Isn’t it time you, citizens of Gig Harbor, had a vote on whether to move to a professional manager under the direction of your elected city council?

The only way our form of government can be changed is through a vote by the people. When it comes to your tax dollars ($250,000) I believe citizens should have a vote.

Jeni Woock is a member of the Gig Harbor City Council

This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 5:30 AM.