City manager debate brings Madison together for dialogue
Dr. Terri Johnson speaks in favor of the city manager proposal.
By Maria Rakoczy (maria@themadisonrecord.com)
MADISON – A debate Wednesday night at the Madison Library brought opposing sides of the city manager issue together for civil discourse. I Vote Madison hosted the debate, which featured a structured and balanced format that alternated between speakers of different opinions and allowed for questions from the audience.
Upwards of fifteen Madison citizens took the floor. The speakers ranged from former city officials to long-time concerned residents on either side. Previous city officials, Dr. Terri Johnson, Mike Potter, and Greg Curtis, made appeals in favor of the city manager system, drawing on their own experiences in city government.
Potter, a former city council member, argued for the efficiency of the new system, “The city manager helps relieve the mayor of juggling sixteen plus departments and all their budget battles and all their importance battles. The mayor would not have to get involved in that. The mayor that we have in the future better know how to play master level chess instead of checkers on the political game board.”
The prevailing argument for the affirmative emphasized the growth of the mayor’s responsibilities with the growth of the city and the need for a highly qualified individual to manage the day-to-day business of the city.
Those on the opposition side countered with concerns that the city manager system was an elitist ploy. Former mayoral candidate Hanu Karlapalem and former mayor Sandi Kirkendall, along with many others, argued that the system would be disruptive to the voting power of individual citizens and the separation of power in the city government.
Kirkendall stated, “On the con side, getting a change in city policy or direction will require a change of four council members instead of just a change of mayor. There’s no check on council power. In other words, there’s no checks and balances.”
He added, “I truthfully think it’s a toss-up. However, I am voting ‘no’ because I prefer checks and balances.”
Debates like the one held Wednesday have been raging informally for months with both sides passionate about their cause. The results of these months of debating the city manager proposal will soon come to fruition as the proposal goes to vote on Tuesday, May 9. Polls will be open from 7 am to 7 pm Tuesday, May 9. To find your polling place visit madisonal.gov.
To see video from the debate, go to www.ivotemadison.com.
