In February 2011, the Pensacola City Council president first proposed a council staff person. His/her duties would include:
1. Refer information requests to Departments within City government.
2. Data & Policy analysis necessary to the proper conduct of legislative business.
3. Draft resolutions and ordinances for Council consideration
4. Compliance review of Committee of the Whole agenda
5. Attend all Council Committee of the Whole and Council meetings.
6. Research emerging issues.
7. Schedule Council appearances at community events.
8. Track information requests to Departments within City government.
It has now grown from a staff person to an administrator (Wisdom of Crowds Administrative Officer -WCAO–pronounced wacko) with possibly a six-figured salary and powers that will rival the Mayor’s Office and the charter-established City Administrator Officer.
Read original memo: Feb memo.
The fact that this topic was discussed at 9:30 a.m. special workshop and not the Committee of the Whole or a regular council meeting bothers me. The official published notice for the meeting was very vague:
FROM: City Clerk’s office
CONTACT: 435-1606RE: NOTICE OF MEETING – Pensacola City Council Workshop 7/20/11
The Pensacola City Council will hold a Workshop Session scheduled for Wednesday, July 20, 2011 beginning at 9:30 A.M. in the Hagler Mason Conference Room, Second Floor of City Hall, 222 West Main Street, to discuss various (follow-up) issues.
Agenda to be posted to the City’s website at a later time.
The posted agenda packet, which was 277 pages, had nothing about the finalists or a possible salary range. That packet had everything from the city charter and council rules & procedures to California League of Cities guide for hiring attorneys and model charter from the National League of Cities….but no specific written information on the hiring of the council administrator.
I registered my complaint with the council members:
Today, I watched the council workshop online. I was surprised that the council discussed the two finalists for the council administrator position and a possible salary range. None of that information was in the agenda that was posted online for the meeting. The public and the media had no way of knowing that should an important position was going to be discussed. The only item on the agenda is a very vague “Verbal presentation & Status Report.” With the decision possibly being made at the next meeting, it would seem only fair that the public be informed of the candidates.
Instead of having this report at the Committee of the Whole, we have a special meeting called at 9:30 a.m. –at a time few working people can attend. We have a vague agenda item and that doesn’t disclose the names of the finalists.
Is there a reason the council is not being more transparent?
I look forward to your response.
Thank you,
Rick Outzen, publisher
Independent News