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La Crosse committee unanimously recommends charter ordinance to create city administrator, with amendments
Summary
After 15 months of study and a lengthy public hearing, the committee voted unanimously to recommend a charter ordinance creating a city administrator (as amended) to the full council; the record includes legal clarifications about effective dates and interim appointments under state law.
The Judiciary & Administration Committee voted unanimously on Feb. 3 to recommend that the full La Crosse City Council adopt a charter ordinance establishing a city administrator position, after adopting several amendments to the sponsor’s draft.
Council member Newberry, the sponsor, said the ordinance is the product of roughly 15 months of work, including reviews by UW‑Extension and the Wisconsin City and County Management Association (WCMA). "It creates clear accountability through professional management, defines complementary roles for the mayor and administrator, establishes fixed contract terms and evaluation processes, and provides for orderly transition and implementation," Newberry said.
Public testimony included business and health‑system representatives urging professional operations leadership. "We ask you to support the evolution of our community and support the city administrator," said Nathan Franklin, representing Amplify Health by Gundersen.
Opponents and some council members raised concerns about transferring statutory powers from the mayor to an unelected administrator and the legal consequences of making the proposal a charter ordinance. Attorney Maddie advised the committee about state law limits for charter ordinances, noting that state statute prescribes effective timing (generally 60 days after passage and publication unless a referendum is invoked) and that elected officials cannot lawfully create a new position and then fill it themselves during their term.
The committee debated and adopted multiple amendments addressing recruitment and selection language, clarified lines of authority (including language allowing council members and the mayor to contact department heads for constituent service while preserving the single‑channel management principle), and altered the qualifications language (one amendment changed the preference language for a master's degree into a required qualification by committee vote). Several proposed changes related to interim appointment timing were discussed but tabled or failed after the city attorney explained statutory constraints.
After line‑by‑line amendments and discussion, the committee voted unanimously to recommend adoption of the ordinance as amended; it will be placed on next week’s full council agenda.
What’s next: The full council will consider the amended charter ordinance at its next meeting. Legal staff noted state law controls the charter ordinance effective date and any referendum process.
Votes at a glance: Multiple committee amendments were adopted during debate; the final recommendation to adopt as amended passed unanimously.
Reporting note: Quotes and procedural details are taken from the Judiciary & Administration Committee transcript of Feb. 3, 2026.
