Royal Alcott
06-20-2002, 02:42 AM
With reference to the June 20 Citizen Bill King editorial, the facts do not support his statement that Eureka Springs has a city administrator.
Eureka Springs has an administrative assistant to the mayor who was not chosen by anyone currently holding office or by any voters in any election.
To the best of my knowledge the term "administrative assistant" does not appear anywhere in the state Constitution and the duties of that position are not described in any statute or ordinance.
The administrative assistant is a holdover from the previous administration in which the mayor was an employee of the Bank of Eureka Springs who was voted out of office. As I recall, she was given the title of a city planner by that mayor.
Should the people of the City of Eureka Springs vote to switch from a Mayor/City Council form of government to a City Manager form, one of the first responsibilities of the City Council would be to advertise for the position of City Manager and then interview qualified candidates who responded while newspapers published their resumes.
A vote would be required by the City Council to contract with the selected City Manager who would assume that office with a clear understanding of its duties and responsibilities.
Mr. King, the elected members of the City Council run things or run from things and their performance is reviewed by voters. A mayor presides.
No one can or should be handed a permanent position of any authority without elected oversight. History teaches that lesson over and over again.
Please interview Arkansas city governments which have city managers and report on how the people who hold that title are held accountable by the elected officials.
That information would be much more useful to your cause than a personal opinion about the ineffectiveness of the election process in Eureka Springs.
Eureka Springs has an administrative assistant to the mayor who was not chosen by anyone currently holding office or by any voters in any election.
To the best of my knowledge the term "administrative assistant" does not appear anywhere in the state Constitution and the duties of that position are not described in any statute or ordinance.
The administrative assistant is a holdover from the previous administration in which the mayor was an employee of the Bank of Eureka Springs who was voted out of office. As I recall, she was given the title of a city planner by that mayor.
Should the people of the City of Eureka Springs vote to switch from a Mayor/City Council form of government to a City Manager form, one of the first responsibilities of the City Council would be to advertise for the position of City Manager and then interview qualified candidates who responded while newspapers published their resumes.
A vote would be required by the City Council to contract with the selected City Manager who would assume that office with a clear understanding of its duties and responsibilities.
Mr. King, the elected members of the City Council run things or run from things and their performance is reviewed by voters. A mayor presides.
No one can or should be handed a permanent position of any authority without elected oversight. History teaches that lesson over and over again.
Please interview Arkansas city governments which have city managers and report on how the people who hold that title are held accountable by the elected officials.
That information would be much more useful to your cause than a personal opinion about the ineffectiveness of the election process in Eureka Springs.