Bartle: Elected officials need to take a stand

The redesigned inmaricopa.com includes an Opinion section where we publish editorials and columns. I wasn’t sure what topic to address first – until 7:47 a.m. Monday, July 2.

That’s when I left a 17-minute City Council meeting, during which our leaders unanimously – and without discussion – appointed our city manager to the newly created position of assistant city manager and appointed our finance director acting city manager.

No shortage of controversy surrounds this brief meeting. Among the questions being asked at the time were:
• Why did the city announce the early Monday morning Council meeting late Friday afternoon and why did the Council have the meeting at an inconvenient time and different location? Was it to discourage public attendance and input?
• Why did the Council allow the city manager to move to a position with significantly less responsibility and, by the city manager’s own admission, one to which he’ll devote significantly less time, for roughly the same annual pay ($116,000 vs. $120,000 approximately)?
• Why was the finance director chosen as the interim city manager? Were other senior staffers considered?
• Who is going to fill the role of finance director?
• Why hire another interim city manager? Why not just let Rick Buss run the show until a permanent replacement is hired?
• Why spend more taxpayer money on hiring a national executive search firm prior to even looking at – with the guidance of the city’s paid HR director – qualified regional city managers and assistant city managers? It would behoove the city to consider someone familiar with the area, just like last year’s terrific decision to name Phoenix PD’s Patrick Melvin Maricopa’s police chief.
• There have been a plethora of rumors – plus off-the-record confirmation by city officials – regarding superior/subordinate relationship at city hall. Did the threat of litigation affect the Council’s decision?
• When have you ever heard of a CEO of a multi-million dollar company stepping down to a vice president position to work for the CFO, who a day earlier worked directly for the CEO and today has the (now former) CEO working directly for him? How is this in the best interests of the city, staff or taxpayers?

Is none of the aforementioned worthy of the Council’s discussion?

The voters elected our City Council to lead and to make the tough decisions. The councilmen seem afraid to voice their opinions for the record.

Rick Buss has been a controversial figure for some time. There were rumblings about whether Council had enough votes to oust him well over a year ago. As recently as the night before the July 2 meeting, a councilman emphatically said he wanted Buss fired. Supposedly, several council members shared that sentiment. Then, when it was time to vote for the pink slip, not a single one of them voted to do so. Not a single one even commented on it.

I’m not suggesting that Rick Buss should have been fired instead of re-appointed as he requested. I am suggesting that our elected officials should stand up for what they believe, vote according to what they feel is best for the citizens of Maricopa and make a statement – literally. Sometimes the decisions are tough. Sometimes they will make the wrong decision. But, councilmen, make an honest decision nonetheless – and make it without looking at the person next to you to see how he is voting.

Our City Council has taken heat for alleged conflicts of interest and abuses of power – including multiple issues surrounding the still-unresolved purchase of land for city hall. Discussions on the inmaricopa.com Forum and neighborhood barbeques lead me to believe citizens are starting to take notice – and they’re starting to inquire about the 2008 election.

It all may be “much to do about nothing,” but perception is reality, and city leaders have done very little to prevent such controversy.

The council’s solution is simple: Communicate with your constituents. Tell us about the decisions you are making and why you are making them. Assuming you are acting with the best interest of the public in mind, this simple gesture will go a long way to helping ensure Maricopa’s positive growth – and a long way to helping your political career.

Besides, you owe it to us. We elected you to represent us.

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