Da mayor and da charter

Fear and Loathing in Waynesboro column by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net

I’m still struggling with where our would-be mayor is coming from regarding what he seems to think he wants out of our next city manager.

“I, basically, want a city manager to give me the facts, not his opinions or lobbying for a particular cause or position,” Tim Williams told a News Virginian reporter last night, setting the bar, well, pretty low, if only you look at the city charter and what it expects out of the person holding the city-manager position.

Section 4.1 vests in the city manager all executive and administrative powers of the city, including the power of appointment of officers and employees. It would seem to be hard for any person in this position to be able to hire and fire without offering an opinion or lobbying for a particular cause or position.

Section 4.2 puts under the powers and duties of the city manager the responsbility to see that all laws and ordinances are enforced, to exercise supervision and control of city departments and divisions, to attend all meetings of the city council, “with the right (to) take part in the discussion, but having no vote.”

And then there’s this, under subsection (e): “To recommend to the council for adoption such measures as are deemed necessary and expedient.”

“I, basically, want a city manager to give me the facts, not his opinions or lobbying for a particular cause or position.”

It seems to me that Tim Williams has a problem with the people who created our city charter. They’re called state legislators, and if he wants a change to come about, he’s going to have to get them to get working on it.

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