STEVENS POINT – Early discussions about a reorganization of city government began in the city’s Personnel Committee July 8 as members discussed the creation of a city administrator position.
A city administrator is a professional non-partisan position hired by the city council to handle day-to-day operations of city government, coordinate between departments and provide knowledge and expertise to aid elected officials, according to the Wisconsin City/County Management Association website.
Marc Christianson, council president and First District alderperson, brought the topic to the committee. He said it “would be a major benefit to the city” and has been an idea he has entertained since before he joined the council in 2021.
Will a decision be made before the end of the year?
Likely not. Mary Kneebone, Seventh District alderperson and chairperson of the Personnel Committee, said she will be leading a research and fact-finding effort with the committee in the upcoming months.
Kneebone said committee members and city staff will look at cities across Wisconsin who have city administrator positions and consider whether the position creates opportunities for cost savings or efficiencies for city taxpayers.
“The answer may be ‘no,’” Kneebone said.
Kneebone said the committee will look at comparable cities for the approach and results with the role. This will involve looking at job descriptions, fiscal impacts and other benefits and tradeoffs.
What is the process for the creation of a city administrator position?
It depends on what duties the city government assigns to the administrator positions, City Attorney Andrew Beveridge explained to a Stevens Point Journal reporter. There are two main ways that Wisconsin state statutes allow municipalities to try these different structures. One is the “city manager plan” under Chapter 64. Another is the broad flexibility allowed by Chapter 66.0101 or “home rule.”
“Home rule” is essentially what allows municipalities to set their own ordinances. What that means for a city administrator is local governments may create a position and assign various duties to it. Chapter 62 of state statutes requires municipalities who qualify for “home rule” to maintain offices of mayor, treasurer, clerk and attorney. Other official duties may be assigned to a multi-purpose role like a city administrator.
Beveridge said creating a city administrator position in Stevens Point would require a lengthy process of looking over a large portion of city ordinances to determine what duties a city administrator would be responsible for versus what the mayor would continue to handle. The council would ultimately make these choices and create a position through an ordinance, like other city employees.
How popular are city administrators?
A 2023 presentation by the League of Wisconsin Municipalities said there is a trend of more cities hiring professional administrators. A 2005 Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance study identified 78 cities employed full-time administrators and the League’s March 2018 database shows 199 cities with an “administrator position,” with 109 of those positions combined with another position like clerk or treasurer.
An International City Management Association publication on council-manager forms of government says the concept was born out of 20th century progressive reform movement and promotes government operations which are “effective, transparent, responsive and accountable.”
More than 120 million U.S. residents live in municipalities under council-manager forms of government. Of the more than 4,300 municipalities in the U.S. with over 10,000 residents, 54% have some version of an administrator, according to the ICMA publication.
More local news:Plover considers plans to renovate part of Younkers building for Tractor Supply Co. store
More local news:Construction on Interstate 39 near Stevens Point to begin Monday for $11.7M improvement project
Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA-TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@gannett.com.
Most Popular
Comments / 0