By Scott Unger • Of the News-Register • 

Two W&L commissioners step down

Only current online subscribers may access this article and/or our N-R e-editions.

One-day subscriptions available for just $3.

For all subscription offers, click here.

Free Trial: In October, the News-Register is offering one-month free digital-only trial subscriptions. Click here to sign up.

Already a subscriber, please

Comments

TTT

This is Drabkin shady work. Denny Elmer had to apply and be interviewed multiple times for his position. How can these two people just be appointed? One of them has zero Mac government experience.

MacPerson

Wait a minute. Mr Elmer was just confirmed by the council Tuesday night. The very next day two other Commissioners resign and our Mayor has asked two friends to fill the seats before the end of the day. Just waiting for council confirmation. What happened to the process she just put Mr. Elmer through. Sketchy as hell! Where’s the transparency your community has asked for?

MacPerson

One more thing, how about the other qualified people that applied for the position and went through the process that was then filled by Mr. Elmer that should have been offered the new positions and I know firsthand there were some.

Loretta

This does not make sense. The appointment or hiring of such an important position as Chief of Police can be decided by two people, the mayor and city manager but the seats on the McMinnville Water and Light board has to be approved by the council? This is just wrong.

Bob

Mac citizens voted mayor Drabkin out of office. But instead of making no appointment's or decisions that will negatively affect Mayor elect Morris, she seems determined to make things as hard as possible for our new mayor. Does Drabkin remain on W&L board after January? If so her, ex-councilor Garvin, and the other friend she appointed to the W&L board can attempt to continue funding her favorite causes - just from a different source of taxpayer funds. Please report your opinions clear with city councilors who are enabling these actions.

ALLCAPS

LORRETA, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THESE PEOPLE THE TWO THINK OF THEMSELVES AS (GODS)

tagup

Loretta- Im pretty sure the entire council approved the Police Chief hire ( not just 2 people).

BC

@tagup

It is my understanding that the council members had no say in the selection process of the police chief, only in giving a nod yes or no on the person selected by the staff (and mayor?). One of those little word games making it appear that council members actually participated more than they did.

tagup


The council voted ( unanimously) to approve the hire. If a council member didn’t agree with the choice, they had the opportunity to dissent.
Loretta posted that 2 people made the decision which is inaccurate.
Having the city Mgr & HR dept do the search makes sense to me. They are professionals with expertise, and that’s their job. Does the council have the time and ability to interview all the candidates? That seems unlikely to me.

Lulu

Another Drabkin hissy fit.

BC

tagup - what makes sense to any of us individually really has no bearing on how the Charter states things should be done. Asking that an independent attorney define the hiring process as it was intended in the Charter doesn't seem to be a bad call to me. It definitely needs to be clarified to the point where there won't be any confusion in the future. Interpretations are like statistics; 101 out of 99 people agree they're not accurate.

tagup

I’m not familiar with the charter, but I would suspect that the details are vague & open to interpretation.
What role do you expect the council to play for the hiring process? HR is a bit of a minefield these days, so the council would need to be up to speed, if interviewing candidates is involved.

BC

tagup - My interpretation of the Charter and it's intent is that the council members themselves hire the heads of departments. The department heads are then in control of their own hiring with the city manager overseeing the department heads until and unless a problem arises beyond the city managers ability to facilitate or any issues with the city manager arise.

In my own personal business, I would never have an office manager hire department heads without my input. Collaborate with me, yes, hire without my input throughout, no. That's the way I also interpret the Charter. Remember 101 out of 99 people...

Web Design and Web Development by Buildable