Alderman Ross Arnett and Ward One President Smith on City Manager Hearing....Monday Night!!!

The first portion of this long post comes from Ross Arnett and concerns his plans for voting at the hearing Jan 26 at 7:00 pm, in City Council chambers:

CA-04-08 Council - Manager Form of Government [Arnett, Israel] (As amended and revised by Rules & City Gov’t Committee) - For the purpose of amending the Charter of the City of Annapolis to change the structure of the City government to a council – manager form of government; defining the office of city manager, including appointment/termination powers; providing for the non-interference by the Mayor and Aldermen with the City Manager in the performance of his duties; establishing the City Manager as a position within the exempt service; and, redefining the powers and duties of the Office of the Mayor. Arnett Notes: This is an amendment to the City Charter to move us to a Council Manager form of government. In my view this will provide day to day professional management of the City and provide some separation of powers between the executive and policy branches of government.

CA-06-08 City Manager Form of Government II [Cordle] - For the purpose of clarifying the role of the City Manager as chief administrative officer; enhancing the supervisory powers of City Manager with respect to departmental directors; and, providing that the dismissal of the City Manager must be approved by the mayor. Arnett Notes: This amendment does not change our form of government, it merely restates the current City Administrator position.

The second portion comes from Doug Smith, President of Ward One Association, which is a more detailed comparison of the city manager proposals that will be discussed at the public hearing. (We thank Doug for this excellent synopsis. CP's Note are in bold. )

A number of people have asked for a quick comparison of the Arnett/ Israel legislation (Charter Amendment CA-04-08) vs. the Cordle bill, (CA -06-08). These two bills are as different at night and day. Arnett/ Israel establishes a professional city manager, reporting to the full city council.
The Cordle bill renames the current position of city administrator to the title of 'city manager'. In Cordle's bill, 99% of the power is still concentrated in the office of the mayor.

Some examples:
In Cordle's bill, the 'city manager' reports solely to the mayor; the mayor is CEO of the city, the mayor supervises the 'city manager' and sets his/ her salary; the mayor approves all department head hiring; the mayor approves all department head salaries; the mayor can direct the work of department heads by 'working through' the 'city manager'; the 'city manager' is limited to 'participation' in the preparation of the budget;

In essence, the Cordle bill makes our current situation worse - the 'city manager' is an executive secretary to the mayor. If there was any question who has the power, this language spells it out: the mayor is in charge of everything and can override any decision made by the 'city manager'. Any candidate considering this job would realize this is political position. A candidate would know that keeping their job depends 100% on keeping the mayor happy. Most likely the 'city manager' would be fired when the mayor leaves office, as the next mayor will want to hire his own executive secretary. This bill should be defeated. (I agree...it's like lipstick on a pig)

In contrast, the Arnett/Israel bill is modeled on a successful structure that is documented by the ICMA (International City-County Manager Association). ICMA spells out four very clear foundation principles for the role of city manager.

1. Appointment - a city manager is hired on a majority vote of city council - the mayor plus aldermen. Each Alderman (your representative) would have a vote on who gets hired in the first place. The city manager would be hired on professional ability, not political loyalty. And by reporting to the city council, the city manager has to serve the entire community - all wards- equally. (This returns power to the council and we the people and levels the playing field.)

2. Policy - the city manager would have direct responsibility for policy formulation (the city council would still have final approval authority). The whole point in hiring a professional is to bring ideas for better government into the policy discussion. (There are many more reasons as well. For starters, a true city manager is not only highly experienced but sworn and certified to uphold professional ethics.)

3. Budget - the city manager would prepare the budget (budget approval still rests with city council). Spending requests always exceed available funds. The city manager would provide options for city council to consider. If we don't have enough money to do everything, wouldn't it be nice to have professional advice on what priorities should come first? The city manager, based on experience, may also recommend economies that would reduce the operating cost of the city and stretch our dollars further.

Once Approved, the city manager implements the budget. This puts a professional manager in charge of operations. This also gets the mayor out of the weeds so the mayor can focus on the long-term strategic needs of the city. We need a visionary mayor who deals with issues such as City Dock, public housing, public safety, parking, etc. Let the city manager worry about the trash pick up schedule or sidewalk repair. (Remember--there is a big difference between proposing a budget and approving it. In one sense, proposing it is a managerial and businesslike process. It is not a done deal. Approving it is both and also political. That is a done deal--and that's what the city manager gets. Today, the mayor has enormous power in the budget process and in effect-it becomes his or her budget.)

4. Appointing Authority. The city manager has true management responsibility for city departments. He would hire, fire and set compensation for department heads. Department heads would know the city manager is their direct supervisor. (Think we need some changes in that regard? Look what it took to remove the police chief! Hopefully the new city manager will ask all political appointees for their resignation on day one...that does not mean he or she will accept all of them, but it does mean that the executive branch will be returned to a new level of managerial oversight. Who knows--it might even mean the air conditioners on our buses will get fixed!)

One final comment: A professional city manager, reporting to the full city council would be making sound business recommendations to the council. I emphasize the word 'business'.

It is absolutely appropriate for the mayor to be the political leader of the city. But when it comes to operating decisions, or leases of public property (ex: market house, or lease of city dock for an event), you would want the lease to provide proper legal and financial safe guards for the city. Understanding these proper safe guards and sound legal practices are the expertise of the city manager - and should not be expected from the mayor. In addition, you would not want these business decisions to be influenced by political affiliations or campaign contributions. (The city manager is almost if not completely immune to political considerations. He or she is a manager. The mayor is the leader. The manager has to answer to the council, which will include the mayor. It would take enormous political pressure from a lot of council members to influence him or her. That's where we the people come in too. However, in our current style, all it takes are the whims of one person...)

I would encourage everyone with views on the above legislation, either pro or con, should speak up at the Jan 26 public hearing. (Absolutely! This is far reaching legislation that will affect everything we do in this city from now on. Please do a search of the many posts on this site concerning this amendment..see the search box to the right)

Doug Smith

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More Travel Tips.....From Mayor Ellen "O".....

Our "sister blog" Arundel Muckraker, has uncovered some fun and exciting travel tips from our globetrotting mayor. Many of us recall the six weeks she spent in Europe in 2007....writing a few blog posts and generally having a grand time while Annapolis became known as a small-town murder capital. We were told that she went to Europe, at least one way, on an expensive cruise ship.
Muckraker has learned even more...when she chooses to travel the Lower 48, Ellen would rather take the train than a plane--even if it means you and I pay more--a lot more... and she is derelict in her duties for a longer period. Ellen even stays in hotels in Washington and Baltimore--also at our expense....even though she has a waterfront home in Eastport. Funny ain't it? I mean just these past few weeks, she was telling folks from all over the country coming to DC to witness that president thing, to stay in Annapolis! Yet she leaves Annapolis to stay in DC!! (And we are being asked to foot the bill for a homeless shelter?)
When CP was an employee for our fair city, travel for training or conferences forbade overnight expenses unless you were traveling at least 55 miles or some minimum such as that. Thus, a state transportation conference in Ocean City during low-cost and late October for example, was covered for an overnight, but a two-day training in Northern Virginia or a conference in Baltimore meant you could not take the lodging or meal reimbursement. Even mayoral-led trips to Harrisburg, PA and Fredericksburg, VA to study their downtown parking and transportation were up and back in one day affairs...but Ellen "O" can stay in a hotel. Why she uses the slow and much more expensive Amtrak rather than a faster and less costly jet is likely because she is either afraid of flying or gets motion sickness...the same motion sickness that keeps her off our city buses but not off of trains, cruise ships or even a racing yacht. See www.Trainspotting With Ellen "O" .

Ellen with fingers clutching her very own Volvo...wheel...but she can't ride a city bus

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Hear Oh Israel.....or heard from Israel...

An alert reader just brought the following to my attention and I am grateful to her (you know who you are....go get 'em! I must have missed it while following all the news about that president thing....):

What was reported here in Annapolis Capital Punishment, on Thursday, January 15:

Rumors abound concerning Josh Cohen's possible entry into the race and that of Dick Israel as well. Today I received numerous communications from reliable sources informing me that Israel has decided NOT to pursue the big chair, but to stay in his current seat on city council. I'll try to confirm.

What was reported in The local newspaper, on Monday, January 19:

Alderman Richard Israel, D-Ward 1, has revealed that he will not run for mayor in this fall's municipal elections. Rather, Mr. Israel, 66, said he will seek another term as alderman.

Oh well. Just another day in this capital city where your humble public servant and small time blogger upstages the multi-million dollar newspaper with hundreds of people on staff....again. One of the many reasons this blog is so named....Capital Punishment.

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Are You Receiving the Daily Neighborhood Watch Police Report?

If not, you are missing out on keeping up to date with one of our most pressing local concerns. You can subscribe at http://www.annapolis.gov. There have been major changes recently to these daily reports, but here is an excerpt from today's report that I find most interesting, with my emphasis in red:

We have made changes to the Daily Report in an effort to provide readers with significant, current and relevant crime information. The Daily Report will often be shorter for two reasons. First, overall crime has decreased. Total U.C.R. crime was down 15% and total violent crime was down 25% in 2008 when compared to 2007. In simple terms this, thankfully, means there is less crime to report, and we hope to keep it this way.

Secondly, we want our reporting to focus on violent and outside property crime which we consider generally "preventable" and can affect the community at large. We will also provide information on other crimes when we see a pattern develop or when it is of particular community concern.

The Annapolis Police Department will continue to operate in a manner that is forthcoming and transparent. Additional crime data may be found on CrimeReports.com. The men and women of the Annapolis Police Department thank you for your continued support.

Contact Annapolis PD at: apdcommunityservices@annapolis.gov
phone: 410 - 268 - 4141 or 911 in case of an emergency

I think we would all be pleased if this means that one day there will be no news from the police department. My only suggestion is to not use those police acronyms such as "U.C.R.". Chief Pristoop will be our guest at next week's Thursday Sip N' Blog.

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A New Era of Public Service

It's called "A New Era of Public Service" and it's the new White House blog. You may see it for yourself at www.whitehouse.gov .

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Local School Spent Too Much On Refreshments For Employees, Volunteers

See what has else has been uncovered by our "sister" blog, The Arundel Muckraker, which finds that audit reports also reveal trouble with record keeping, other accounting procedures.
Learn more at schools .

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Democratic Hopeful Trudy McFall At Sip N' Blog Thursday

Mayoral candidate Trudy McFall will be our featured guest at this week's Sip N' Blog at Ahh, Coffee! in Eastport, Thursday, Jan. 22 from 8-9 am. We look forward to seeing you and also next week when Police Chief Michael Pristoop joins us.

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Disappointment With Obama; Who's Up Next???

I think that many other Americans would agree with me when I say that we are disappointed, deeply disappointed with the Obama Administration. Now I know some of you out there will admonish me to give the man a chance, that every new president deserves a "honeymoon" period. Well I say uh, uh. We got him there. We expected big things to happen and so far--nothing. A lot of nothing.

Our troops are still in Iraq. Israelis and Palestinians are still fighting. The economy is in shambles. People are losing their jobs and businesses are closing--and what has Obama done? Nothing except go to some parties and make some speeches.

I'm thinking impeachment. That's right. Impeachment. It's time for change and I want the next person to get in there and make things happen.

It didn't take the last guy much time at all to mess things up from the guy before him either. The deficit had shrunk to almost nothing--and look what he did in no time. Why can't this new guy work just as fast? By the way, where is my toothbrush? Has anybody seen my toothbrush? It was around here somewhere.....hmmm...where did I put that thing?

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James Chase: In Memoriam

CP attended the funeral of James Chase at the Mt. Olive AME Church on Saturday. Known to thousands of Annapolitans as "Chase" and sometimes as "Man", I knew him as the director of the Annapolis Department of Transportation and the "Man" who hired me in 1998. He might have known at the time that he was not going to be working with me for long as a new mayor was coming into office. Chase remained as the director for a few months. I don't know the details, and they're not important. What I can say that is important is that Chase was always respectful and fair toward me and for that, I went to pay my last respects to him although I did not know him very well or for long. He quickly and easily earn my respect. As far as I could tell, he was engaged in the daily operations of the department and knew the drivers, mechanics and supervisors and it has not been the same since. He was liked and respected by them for the same reasons that I liked and respected him. That's saying a lot.

The opening hymn sung in the church was WE’LL UNDERSTAND IT BETTER BY AND BY, which I think is also called "We are often tossed and driven". In kind of a funny way, that was a great choice for a man who helped make it possible for thousands and thousands of people to move around Annapolis for so many years.

In a day and age when fairness, respect and appreciation in government, or in any workplace seems to be going the way of the dinosaur, it makes it all the more special when a person treats others in such a manner. Based on the overflow crowd and the many kind tributes, it is clear that Chase was important to many people. I thank you Chase.

And now, a bit of the lyrics from By and By. I think it's a good message for all of us, especially those who continue Chase's work at the Department of Transportation:

Temptations, hidden snares often take us unawares,
And our hearts are made to bleed for a thoughtless word or deed;
And we wonder why the test when we try to do our best,
But we’ll understand it better by and by.

For the lyrics to By and By visit By and By .

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Inauguration Day: One Bad President Out....One Bad Mayor Left To Go

Thousands of Obama inauguration-watchers are supposedly using Annapolis as a launching base to explore the other nearby capital city. I thought it would be a good time to reflect upon one imminent and one not quite as imminent change of capital city government.

To wit...Bush had his Katrina. Moyer has her Market House. Bush had his "You're either with us or you're against us." Moyer has her "They're just rhetorical bomb throwers." Bush read to kids while New York was attacked. Moyer develops a clean air book for kids while air conditioners on our buses fail. Bush pushed his executive powers past constitutional limits, running roughshod over Congress and the Courts at every opportunity. Moyer calls Alderman's proposal to bring about a city manager system an "assault on representative government." Bush brought about huge increases in military spending, and creates the Department of Homeland Security. Moyer creates the Department of Neighborhood and Environmental Protection and The Department of Economic Affairs to create new crony positions.

Bush has left us weaker, poorer, dis-spirited, disliked and disenfranchised. His legacy will be that of eight years of failure, missed opportunity and obsessive attention to terrorism, unilateralism and boorish, self-righteousness. Moyer has one year left to make her mark. I sincerely hope it will be in a positive manner. Obama has two years ahead of him to strongly make his mark. He has told us repeatedly that economic turnaround will not be fast or easy. Moyer tells us that our finances are in good shape.

Obama worked hard for years to inherit the mess left for him. It's fun watching our mayoral hopefuls begin to line up to see who will inherit the next mess. Will their message be one of change or one of experience?

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The Media on The Media on The Media.....On Joe The Plumber Or Why We Journalists Do What We Do....

And here we bring you a media exclusive....that is to say, a sort of exclusive. Capital Punishment goes to YouTube to see what CNN's Rick Sanchez says about what the Associated Press says about what "Joe The Plumber" says about covering the news in Gaza. Yes, that would be the same "Joe the Plumber" who is apparently neither named Joe nor is he a plumber, nor is he a journalist for that matter, but thanks to today's media circus, he is now a media figure...and he somehow becomes a journalist...which makes him a target for the media to comment upon the media that comments upon him that comments upon him that comments upon him....etc., etc. ad nauseum, ad infinitum.... And here you may see for yourself. Now, which media outlet will pick up the "news" that I have just reported? No wonder why the news media are all going broke! Maybe "Joe" can become Sarah Palin's press secretary when she gets elected President in 2012...and he can plug White House leaks.



(Hey--isn't a "U Tube" a plumbing term???)

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Shropshire Announces At Big Chill; His Visions May Be Grand, But He Has to Get Them Out Of "The Bag"

With temperatures that would have made William Henry Harrison's inauguration seem tropical, Alderman Sam Shropshire announced his candidacy for mayor--outside--on a Friday afternoon--at City Dock. I stood in the bone-chilling temps with the setting sun at my back--and lots of noisy traffic, struggling to hear a petite woman all bundled up to introduce the alderman from the Seventh Ward. I too was bundled up--with a thick hat, thick scarf and as mentioned--traffic at my back, noisy traffic.

"I can't hear you," I said in a rather loud voice. Everyone else was bundled up and heck, I was facing her.

"I am sorry but I can't speak any louder," was her pusillanimous reply (If that's a five dollar word, please send a donation).

"Move up," implored the crowd. I think the woman is his campaign manager, former elections board chairman S. Lee Caudle who just resigned to work for Shropshire.

I was only twenty feet away. As an experienced public speaker, I know it's my fault if the audience can't hear me but never their fault. I'm not the one who chose the time and place to make such an announcement--and I glanced over my shoulder at the Market House. Empty. Warm. Inviting--but not to tenants apparently. Now that would have been a place to hold this gathering--it might have been illegal, and it might have upset some people, but oh boy it would have made a statement--and a loud one. Maybe he could have rented the space for half an hour. But to whom would he have paid the rent? (I am reminded of the trouble he got in for holding a political event at City Council chambers--this choice of meeting place may be his weak link).

When Shropshire spoke, he was a bit louder, but I still had trouble hearing him. I looked around again. I counted about 35 people.

Shropshire is known for his human and civil rights concerns, yet there was only one Black person in the audience, until a family of camera-snapping tourists arrived out of curiosity to see the Alex Haley statue. I guess if we counted Haley and the statue of the one Black child with him, we would have tripled the number of Blacks in attendance. Oh-it turns out the one Black man in the audience was a descendant of the one represented by the statue. I don't know which one was colder. There were a few Democratic stalwarts in the audience and most of the active, local members of the Green Party. Shropshire thanked them for their presence and about a third of the crowd cheered for themselves. Perhaps he should run as a Green? Perhaps the Greens should field a candidate? Democratic activist Tony Evans, never one to remain silent, jokingly asked if the presence of a nearby BloodMobile had any significance. (?)

There was a lectern but no microphone. Shropshire's name was not even visible on the lectern. There was not a single banner. There was no campaign literature. There were a couple of small printed signs with his name in red and white. The announcement seems to have been thrown together without much advance notice or preparation. Campaigns require good messages, amplification of those messages and organizational skill and support. Does Shropshire have that?

Speaking of blood types, in my desire to "B-Positive" rather than "B-Negative" let me say that Shropshire is a good man and a hardworking, public-spirited person. His life has been devoted to serving others. He has big ideas and visions for Annapolis. He is not afraid to take controversial or perhaps even unpopular stands. And--he does support a city manager style of government. He also makes grand statements in support of public transit--and that's good too, but his record in that regard is spotty. Shropshire is a complex man with energy, ideas and I will say it again--a commitment to service. He often has good things to say and often does good things. However, it is one thing to say and another to do, but if your words are not heard, and your deeds are not known, it's like the tree in the forest question. Witness the recent presidential campaign and it is clear that fund raising, organizational and managerial skill and other strategic concerns can outweigh the message--or lack thereof. Shropshire would be wise to consider the context as much as the content of his worthy and important messages.

See Friends of Sam .

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