Councilmembers Hiller and Duncan outline governance issues: mayor's role, COMA limits, city manager turnover and citizen committees

Councilmember Karen Hiller and Councilman Spencer Duncan appeared Feb. 19 before the Citizen Government Review Committee to discuss the city’s council–manager form of government, limits on communication under the Kansas Open Meetings Act (COMA), the city manager role and turnover, and how external citizen committees are used.

Hiller, who identified herself as serving since 2009, told the committee she supports the current council–manager system overall but flagged an unintended consequence after the mayor was made a voting member of the governing body: COMA-related limits on some informal communications. “I worry that we crossed the line when we brought the mayor in and made a single governing body instead of that separation that we had before,” Hiller said, describing a loss of informal mayor-to-council communication that previously helped vet issues before votes.

Hiller urged the committee to seek a legal memorandum on the Open Meetings Act to clarify the mayor’s ability to confer with council members and to explain the limits of serial communications. The committee asked the city legal department to prepare a memo on COMA’s effect on the mayor’s role.

Duncan, who represents District 8, encouraged the committee to preserve the independence of citizen-led panels and to avoid council members’ over-direction of such groups. “I really am very careful not to interject myself too often because I really think the whole purpose of citizens committees is to actually hear what the citizens thoughts are,” he said.

Both councilmembers discussed city manager turnover and hiring practices. Duncan noted that the typical tenure for a city manager in cities this size is about five to seven years and that frequent turnover complicates continuity. “The average lifespan of a city manager in a city our size is about 5 to 7 years,” he said, adding that Topeka has seen multiple hires and interim managers in recent years.

They also discussed the council’s committee structure, district representation versus at-large seats, and council pay. Hiller said she values district representation and the culture on Topeka’s council while acknowledging debates over at-large positions and mayoral authority. Both councilmembers told the committee they have invited public participation in hiring high-profile officials (for example, police chief hiring), noting public engagement has been used selectively for executive-level positions.

Committee members asked questions about constituent service and the chain of command for staff requests. Hiller and Duncan explained that practices vary by council member and by city manager preference, but both emphasized that council members should not directly order staff and should work through the city manager when personnel or administrative authority is needed.

The councilmembers’ comments were advisory; there was no committee vote on their recommendations. The committee thanked both councilmembers and indicated staff or legal follow-up (a COMA memo) would be requested.