CITY COUNCIL TO DRAFT: Major change in city hiring policy

COLUMBIA, 12/22/09 (Beat Byte) -- The Columbia City Council last night agreed to draft an ordinance that would rewrite a major power reserved for the city manager in the City Charter -- Columbia's "constitution." 

 

The Charter change would create a new "advise and consent" role for council members similar to that exercised at the Federal level. The process would involve "the hiring of department heads only," Third Ward Councilman Karl Skala (left) told council members, and commence with "the nomination of a final candidate or a slate of candidates by the city manager, and final confirmation of a candidate by the city council," he explained. 

 

It would also require a city charter amendment, similar to "five amendments put before us by the city manager at our pre-council meeting," Skala added.   

 

Federally, the U.S. President appoints candidates for certain high-level positions, e.g. Supreme Court, and the Senate, through a series of often highly-charged public interviews, either confirms or denies the appointee.  The process "advises" the President and the nation, and "consents" if the appointee passes muster. 

 

Locally, Columbia's city manager has sole discretion over the hiring of senior level administrators.  Mere attempts to "advise" can cost council members their seats, as Third Ward Councilman Karl Skala learned last year, when he attempted to advise city manager Bill Watkins on the hiring of police chief Ken Burton and Kraig Kahler, the former Water and Light director recently accused of murdering nearly his entire family.

 

Watkins warned Skala that he could lose his seat should he press the issue.   

 

But pressing on last night, Skala suggested the "advise and consent" role reversal.  "This, I suspect, will be somewhat controversial," he said toward the conclusion of last night's regular council meeting.  He cited a question in the Columbia Heart Beat's Early Bird candidate survey from Columbia Missourian columnist George Kennedy -- What do you see as the proper relationship between the council and the manager?  -- to show increased community interest in this issue. 

 

4th Ward councilman Jerry Wade agreed.  "This is probably a discussion we need to have," he said, just before a long and uncomfortable pause -- and an unusual exchange between Watkins and city attorney Fred Boeckmann.

 

"He [Skala] can request, right?  He can request legislation be drawn," Watkins asked Boeckmann.  

 

"As long as it's not, ahem, too time-consuming, is the general rule," Boeckmann answered.  

 

"It shouldn't take too long," Skala replied.     

 

"I guess I'll find out tomorrow," Boeckmann laughed. 

 

Council members voted 6 to 1 to draft an "advise and consent" Charter change "to get the issue out for discussion, and before the public," Skala reiterated several times.   5th Ward council woman Laura Nauser voted against.