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Council debates creating assistant‑to‑the‑city‑manager amid audit concerns
Summary
Council debated reallocating a budgeted assistant‑attorney post to fund an assistant‑to‑the‑city‑manager position intended to relieve overworked department heads. Supporters cited burnout and retention risk; opponents cited missing audit and unclear finances and asked to defer action pending audit information.
Council spent substantial time weighing a proposal to repurpose funds previously allocated for an assistant city attorney into a position described as an assistant to the city manager. City Manager Sean Metcalfe outlined department workload and said many department heads work 60+ hours weekly, arguing an assistant would improve cross‑training, employee wellness and progress on the strategic plan.
Supporters said the position was already budgeted in prior months and could be filled quickly. “We already agreed to spend this money…we already agreed that without an audit, it was gonna go through,” one council member said in favor. Opponents repeatedly said the city lacked a completed audit and sufficient financial clarity to add staff now. One council member said the city was “very close to being out of compliance for 2 solid years” and that the council should not add positions until finances were verified.
Council members asked for an organizational chart, clearer job description, and evidence of how the single position would meaningfully reduce workload across multiple department heads. Several members suggested returning the item to a future agenda after staff provided the audit, clearer budget detail and a formal vacancy/reallocation proposal. No hiring vote occurred that night.
