The city of Hailey should vote to change the type of government to MANAGER/ COUNCIL on May23, 2006.

A professionally trained city manager would bring a higher level of professionalism to the city’s government. The city manager of McCall, was quoted in the Wood River Journal, “ the city manager style allows the council and the mayor to set a broad strategy, concentrating on the roles they were elected for, and lets the city manager professionally attend to the technical and operational details that council members are often not as well-equipped as an experienced business or city managers to over see.”

Mr. Kirkpatrick, city manager of McCall, said, “that the city manager style also provides insulation between the service and technical process and political side of issues.”

The current Mayor of Hailey has stated, “There is virtually no difference in the qualifications for a city manager and a city administrator.” Why not higher a true professional and establish the authority and responsibility? The City of Hailey cannot attract a city administrator because of what happened to the previous city administrator in 2004. Stan McNutt, a member of the International City/County Management Association and resent interim Blaine County Administrator stated “there is not enough security to attract top professional City Administrator candidates.” The insecurity relates to the City Administrator reporting directly to the Mayor. The City Manager reports to the City council and it takes a majority vote to override or discharge the person.

A City Manager provides consistent and professional enforcement of Ordinances, personnel policy and especially financial policy and planning.

A City Manager is separated from the day-to-day or year to year changes in politics. Without those concerns, a City Manager can focus more on the operations of the City.

Because of the types of decisions, financial issues and personnel rules and regulations Hailey needs a professional manager not part time and under qualified leadership.

The “Culture of Stagnation” (Stan McNutt)
Historical methods, attitudes and culture may allow “mediocrity by default” if the agency fails to periodically review its practices or fails to make necessary adjustments when needed. (Way we’ve always done it “syndrome!)

The Hailey mayor has stated, “that the change of government would be extremely disruptive, creating a lame duck government…” there is no reason for any disruption if the Council wants to be re-elected. If the current council members are doing a good job, they should continue and therefore be re-elected. If they decide to not do the job they were elected to do, because of the change in government, then they should not be re-elected.