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Prescott council declines proposal for advisory hiring subcommittee
Summary
At the Nov. 4 study session, Mayor Pro Tem proposed a three-member advisory panel to review department-head hires. After debate about the council'manager form of government and risks of micromanagement, the council signaled a consensus not to create the subcommittee and reaffirmed the city manager's hiring authority.
At a Nov. 4 City of Prescott study session, the mayor pro tem proposed creating a three-member advisory subcommittee to review department-head hiring and advise the city manager and human resources. The mayor pro tem said the panel would be advisory only and aimed at improving communication, raising hiring standards and reducing patronage.
"This will also provide some accountability to the hiring practices and encourage hiring highly qualified people," the mayor pro tem said, adding the panel would be limited to department-head appointments. Proponents argued the group would give council "some skin in the game" when considering leadership hires.
Opponents said the proposal conflicted with the council'manager form of government. "Hiring is an administrative function and is the duties and responsibilities of the city manager," Councilman Moore said, citing the city charter and guidance from the League of Arizona Cities and Towns. Several council members said direct council involvement in hiring risks micromanagement and could chill applications for city jobs.
City Manager Dylan Kimball told the council he welcomed opportunities to improve communication but warned that routine council involvement in hiring risks politicizing personnel decisions and could weaken clear accountability. "I worry about the insertion of politics into our hiring processes," Kimball said.
After extended discussion, Mayor Goode summarized the council's position: "I think it's pretty clear their consensus here is, not to proceed with such a subcommittee creation," and said the council would continue to rely on the city manager for hiring and performance oversight.
No ordinance or charter change was proposed at the meeting; the council's comments amounted to a direction not to create the advisory panel and to retain existing hiring authority with the city manager.
The proposal grew from ongoing tensions some members described between staff and council over recent department-head appointments. Several council members suggested alternatives, including reviewing the city's merit system and focusing on council oversight of the city manager's performance rather than inserting council members into hiring panels.
