Thursday, July 17, 2008 4:52 PM CDT
The committee's official report
Form of Government Committee’s Final Report and Recommendations
Background
The Mattoon City Commissioners approved the formation of an 11-member “Form of Government Steering Committee” on April 15, 2008.
The charge to the committee was to “study the current form of government as well as other forms available to the City, and make a recommendation to the City Council concerning the proper form for the effective and efficient governance of the City of Mattoon.”
The Committee’s Study
The committee’s first meeting was held on May 27, 2008. The committee held a total of 4 meetings with the last one being held on July 8. All committee meetings were open to the public and covered by the local press.
The committee adopted the following process to educate members on the forms of government authorized in Illinois statutes to be adopted by cities with Mattoon’s population:
- Conducted a study session with two authorities on the legal forms of government available to municipalities in Illinois, which focused on the strengths, and weakness of each type. Presenters were Dr. Rich Wandling, Chairman of the Political Science Department, at Eastern Illinois University and Mr. Doug McDermand, Executive Director of the Coles County Regional Planning Commission;
- Reviewed materials provided by Mattoon’s City Administrator on the various forms of government in Illinois and the types of government adopted in all cities in the state;
- Reviewed the extensive information that is available on the Internet about the forms of city government in Illinois;
- Conducted telephone interviews with people in cities similar to Mattoon from across the state with a common set of questions focusing on their evaluation of the form of government used in their particular community. Among those cities were the following: Mt. Vernon, Fairview Heights, Vandalia, Streator, Carbondale, Dixon, Morton, Jacksonville, Lincoln, and Charleston. Among interviewees were city employees, mayors, councilmen, citizens, City Administrators and City Managers.
Analysis
The committee determined that there are five basic forms of government cities may adopt in Illinois, with some “variations” of the basic forms. The city of Mattoon, for example, follows the Commission form of government, which has been modified to incorporate the position of a “city administrator”
After some deliberation, the committee decided to investigate two forms of government in more depth, the Commission form (with a city administrator) and the Council/Manager form.
From the committee’s discussions evolved a set of “standards” or “criteria” which the committee followed, for the most, in evaluating the Council/Manager and the Commission (city administrator) forms of government.
Those key points were as follows:
Complexity of Operation
The city of Mattoon with an annual operating budget approaching $30,000,000,.and over 170 employees, and providing a myriad of services and functions, is a complex organization. It is generally agreed that more complex organizations require full time management with more training and experience than is true in less complex organizations.
Continuity of Leadership
Some forms of government, including the commission form, provide that the terms of all commissioners and the mayor expire at the same time. It is possible, therefore, that in any election, the majority, if not all commissions, and the mayor, could be replaced or choose not to run for re-election, thus resulting in an entirely new city government. The committee believes continuity of leadership is essential for the best planning for the city of Mattoon given the complexity of the organization
Professionalism
Full time, professional trained management is essential in complex organizations. In the business world as well as in other non-business organizations there is a positive relationship between the training and experience requirements for management and the complexity of the organization.
Efficiency of Operation
Any publicly supported organization is responsible to its citizens and employees to operate on the most efficient basis in providing essential services. There is ample evidence to support the belief that full time professional management results in the most efficient operation in all types of organizations.
Responsibility to the general public and employees
Cities have a responsibility to respond to the needs of the public they serve and to develop positive relationships with employees, all on a non-partisan basis. Professional management, which is a step removed from partisan politics, is more likely to accomplish that goal.
Conclusions and Recommendations:
The Steering Committee determined that the Council/City Manager form of government best meets the criteria outlined above and subsequently voted to recommend that the City Commissioners and Mayor adopt the Councel/City Manager form of government. As you are aware, the adoption of the Council/Manager form of government is subject to the approval of city voters.
The committee believes the adopting of the council/manager form of government will benefit the city, its employees, and the public in the following ways:
- Continuity of management
The terms of council members are staggered thus eliminating the possibility that the mayor and all council members will be changed at any election;
- Complexity of Operation
Illinois statutes require that a full time, qualified city manager be employed to manage the city’s day to day operations;
- Professionalism of Management
City managers typically possess training in management, planning and city operations, which is essential in a city, the size of Mattoon. A degree in municipal administration is preferred.
- Efficiency of operation
All evidence the committee was able to obtain lead to the conclusion that full time, professional management in the form of a city manager, resulted in the most efficient management of the city’s finances, staff, and facilities.
Evaluation of Concerns
The committee also researched the validity of concerns that are sometimes voiced about the council/city manager form of government. Those concerns and the committee’s findings are as follows:
Cost of Employing and operating the office of the City Manager
While the costs of employing a well trained, experienced city manager are higher than when city commissioners perform administrative functions on a part time basis, the conclusions most individuals the committee contacted was that the efficiencies brought about by a professional, full time manager more than offset those extra costs
Are the powers and authority of elected officials diminished?
The role of elected officials does change under the council/city manger form since they no longer have responsibility for administering the day- to- day operations of city government. Administration of the city’s day- to- day operations is, by state statutes, placed in the hands of the city manager.
This change, however, tends to strengthen, not lessen, the role of the elected officials in that they are now free to spend the time on the more important roles of setting policy, planning, economic development, working with citizens groups for the betterment of the community and so forth. The elected officials also have the ultimate authority to employ, evaluate the performance and, when necessary, discharge the city manger.
Elected officials have the authority and the responsibility to reserve the policy-making powers for the city and not share or turn those responsibilities over to the city manager.
The manager does not appoint members of the Board of Local Improvements, nor does he or she have the authority to appoint members of other municipal boards or agencies. The Manager cannot create new offices or positions, incur any expenditure, make any purchase or enter into any contract except as authorized by the elected officials.
Welfare of city employees
The question of the welfare of city employees is sometimes raised in connection with the council/city manager form of government.
The committee did not find, in their interviews with employees working in cities with the council/city manager form, that employees felt they were adversely affected. The conclusion reached in most cases is that full time professional management of the city provides continuity of leadership, efficiency of operation, and non-partisan relations with city workers, which all accrue to the employees’ (and general public’s) benefit.
Conclusion
Members of the Steering Committee express their thanks to the Mattoon mayor and city commissioners for the opportunity to serve in this capacity and now consider their work complete.
If the city moves forward to put the council/city manager question on the ballot on November 4 we are sure that most, if not all, of the committee members will assist in any way possible to get a successful vote in the election.
Committee Members:
Dr. Donald Freesmeier
David Schilling
Ray Wines Jr.
Paul Saegesser
Donna Ray
Chris Rankin
Joyce St. Michael
Tim Knepple
Paul Conlin
Jerry Groniger
Robert Webb
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