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Council rejects charter ordinance to create a city administrator after department heads urge more study
Summary
After more than two hours of debate and extensive testimony by department heads raising fiscal and implementation concerns, the Common Council voted down a charter ordinance to create a city administrator (7‑6). Several amendments had narrowed timing and clarified search procedures but left funding and operational questions unresolved.
The La Crosse Common Council voted down a charter ordinance that would have created the position of city administrator and removed certain administrative duties from the mayor.
Proponents argued the position would provide consistent executive leadership, improve long‑term planning and streamline municipal operations. Council Member Sleznicko and others said the city has grown to a size that merits a professional administrator to coordinate more than 500 full‑time staff and a $70 million operating budget.
But a coalitio…
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