Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the City Administration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
La Crosse committee recommends denying mayor's proposed operations director, citing process and cost concerns
Summary
The Finance & Personnel Committee voted 5-1 to recommend denial of a mayoral reorganization that would add a Director of Operations reporting to the mayor, after public opposition and council members said the measure short‑circuited a separate city administrator working group.
The Finance & Personnel Committee on Sept. 4 recommended denying a mayoral reorganization that would create a mayoral operations director position, voting 5-1 after public comment and extended council debate.
Residents and members of the public urged caution or opposed the proposal at a public hearing. Kenneth Johnson told the committee the change would hand mayoral duties to a new hire and carry a substantial cost: "You're looking at a quarter of a million dollars to do what we've elected a mayor to do," he said, estimating salary plus benefits could push the total cost into the mid‑six figures.
Mayor (unnamed) defended the proposal as a way to add professional management and continuity, saying the version before the committee would cost $195,340 "which also includes health insurance and all those FICA, etcetera." He said part of the funding would come from reallocating an existing communications coordinator salary and other revenue sources.
Councilmembers pressed two recurring concerns: process and independence. Several members said the proposal appeared to short‑circuit the city administrator working group's public engagement and noted the proposed position would report to the mayor rather than sit independently in the organizational chart. "I don't think this kind of backdoor in a new position into the city is the proper way of doing it," one councilmember told the mayor during debate.
Human Resources and finance staff clarified compensation figures presented by the mayor were total compensation numbers that include pension, health insurance and payroll taxes.
After discussion, Councilmember Sleznicko moved to recommend denial, seconded by Councilmember Janssen. The motion carried 5 to 1.
What happens next: The committee's recommendation is advisory; the measure would return to the full council according to the council's rules and calendar. The committee's vote leaves the city administrator working group's process and the separate charter/ordinance approach to the city administrator question intact.
