[RP TownTalk] Change in Government

Thu Mar 3 15:59:07 UTC 2016

Alan,

Does a CEO take the place of the Mayor?  You mentioned the selection
process for the Town Manager.  Can you be more specific?

Thanks!

Marilyn
Ward 2

On Thu, Mar 3, 2016 at 9:57 AM, Audrey Bragg <abragg7393 at aol.com> wrote:

> Thank you Alan for your detailed response.  I really appreciate it.
> Audrey
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alan K. Thompson <akthompson at riverdaleparkmd.gov>
> To: Audrey Bragg <abragg7393 at aol.com>; TownTalk <
> TownTalk at riverdale-park.org>
> Sent: Wed, Mar 2, 2016 9:15 pm
> Subject: Re: Change in Government
>
> Hi Audrey,
>
> Thank you for your interest in this.  I'm happy to answer your questions
> for the current draft, but things may change because of feedback from the
> citizens and the Council.  I'll answer your questions after each one below.
>
> On Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 6:24 PM, Audrey Bragg <abragg7393 at aol.com> wrote:
>
>> Just reading the Town Crier and Mayor's report regarding the change in
>> the town government.  A professional manager will be in charge of the town
>> instead of the Mayor.  I would like to hear what other residents have to
>> say about this and I do have questions.
>> Will the CEO be required to live in the town?  I think this is very
>> important.
>>
>
> This is not in the current draft.  Greenbelt requires this of their City
> Manager, but I don't think that either College Park or Hyattsville (both of
> which have forms of government closer to the "Council-Manager" form than we
> do) require this.  I can check into that and get back to you if you're
> interested.
>
>
>> What are the education and experience requirements for the position?
>>
>
> Currently full membership in good standing in the International City and
> County Manager's Association, which is a professional accreditation
> organization for managers of local governments.  They have stringent
> requirements including educational requirements, and are recognized around
> the world.
>
>
>> Why do we even need a Mayor if the CEO is in charge?  Why not just have a
>> board?
>>
>
> In a lot of ways the Mayor is just a member of the Council under the
> proposal, but he or she does have some additional responsibilities, and is
> elected to represent the whole Town and not just part of it.  As I said in
> my February Town Crier article about this change, in Greenbelt (the closest
> to a pure Council-Manager form of government near us) the Mayor is not
> directly elected.  The language from the current draft says: "*The mayor
> shall be recognized as the head of the town government for all ceremonial
> purposes, by the court for serving civil process, and by the Governor for
> the purpose of military and emergency law*."
>
>
>> Will the Mayor and Council be the only ones who decide this matter or
>> will it go to referendum for a vote by the residents?
>>
>
> Unless the citizens want a referendum, it will be decided by the Council.
> § 4-304 of the Local Government Code of Maryland (which governs amendments
> to municipal charters) allows referendum only at the request of the voters
> - the Council cannot initiate a binding referendum.
>
>
>> Who will the CEO be responsible to?  Can the council hire and fire?  Is
>> the CEO elected or appointed by council?
>>
>
> The Town Manager is hired and removed by the Town Council, and is
> responsible to them and to the law; the exact language is "serves at the
> pleasure of the Council" and means that the Town Manager can be removed for
> any reason (or no reason, if the Council decides so).  The current charter
> change draft has a specific process for removal of the Town Manager.
>
>
>> Do any of the other local towns do this and how does it work for them?
>>
>
> College Park, Hyattsville, and Greenbelt all have City Managers, though
> the split in power between the Council, Mayor, and Town Manager in all
> three are different (and that split is still being adjusted in my draft,
> even before formally introducing it).  I would say that this system works
> well in all of those municipalities.
>
>
>> I think this is a very serious and important matter and I think the
>> residents need to be involved and notified when we can review any
>> legislation and ask questions and it should be well advertised so people
>> are aware and know what's going on.
>>
>
> I agree.  I wrote my long article on it in the February Town Crier, Mayor
> Archer wrote about it this month, and we can have up to 60 days after
> introduction to discuss it before we have to pass it reject it.
>
>
>> I would really like to hear the opinions and ideas and questions from the
>> residents.
>>
>
> Me too!
>
> Thanks again for writing, and I'd love to continue the discussion.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Alan
>
>
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>

-- 
*Marilyn*
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