Lanes
I was present for similar discussions in two different communities during the last ten days. Both focused on the expressed interest of city council members to be more engaged in policy and program development and implementation oversight. In both, the proposed solution to address this interest was greater involvement through work sessions, sometimes characterized as committee of the whole meetings.
Early in my career, I might have seen such an approach as inconsistent with the principles of council-manager governance. In at least one city I served as manager, the charter explicitly prohibited the council's forming standing committees and imposed limits on the use of ad hoc committees. The message could not have been more clear: the manager was the professional; council's role was to review the information provided, clarify what was being proposed, and vote.
Such an approach exemplified the ideals of the progressive reform movement that inspired cities to hire trained managers to oversee their affairs. Business-like efficiency was to be emphasized.
I grew concerned a decade ago that efficiency might have a down side. There was a tendency to stifle council debate. In our zeal to handle matters as expeditiously as possible, the citizenry was deprived of an opportunity to learn about and weigh in on matters that concerned them. I came to believe that we could better model good government, and provide lessons in civics in the process, if we took things more slowly. Among other things, I asked the council to modify its rules to require in nearly all instances that no action could be taken on an item during the meeting at which it was introduced.
Local governments of all types have been pursuing citizen engagement initiatives in recent years. These efforts go well beyond typical public hearings. When properly constituted, they are listening sessions in which meaningful input is gathered and analyzed. That input is viewed as a key component of policy development and program implementation efforts.
This experience gives rise to an important question: if more citizen engagement is a good thing, wouldn't more council engagement be a good thing as well?
I suspect council members' interest in a more hands-on role in local government affairs coincides with a change in the make-up of governing bodies. Fewer individuals with backgrounds in business and the professions are running for these offices. Those who have taken their places more closely resemble the broad cross section of the community’s residents. Like many of their constituents, they might not have developed through their paid employment the same skill sets as their predecessors. At the same time, they bring real-world experience they wish to apply to the challenges faced by the organization.
I recall the frustration expressed by a council member some years ago as he was completing his term of office. "I ran for city council because I wanted to get things done. I found out I couldn't get anything done." I wonder how many others have felt similarly but said nothing.
In the training I provide to city councils on council-manager governance, I emphasize five roles members play: policy makers; thought leaders; fiduciaries; overseers; and advisors. Except for the first of the roles on this list, all might be better performed in settings like a committee of the whole meeting or a work session. Unlike a conventional meeting, there is no pressure to get to a vote. There is time for thoughtful discussion and consideration of differing points of view. There is also time for more in-depth presentations by the executive team on the programs and projects with which they are involved.
Some local governments have been practicing such an approach for years. In some cases a session is scheduled for the hour before a regular council meeting to review and discuss matters. In other instances, an additional meeting is scheduled each month for a similar purpose. The meetings are not necessarily referred to as a committee of the whole, but it is the same idea.
At the same time, I expect there are probably municipal executives who are uncomfortable with such practices. Perhaps they are concerned about unexpected issues arising for which they are unprepared. They might prefer that elected officials and appointed administrators stay in their respective lanes.
There are lanes and then there are lanes. The traditional image of council-manager governance is akin to the lanes in a competition swimming pool. The design is intended to emphasize and reinforce the distinction between politics and administration. Importantly, it is also intended to address the appearance of chaos, akin to what one would witness at the start of the swimming leg of a triathlon competition.
There is another image that falls between the extremes of swim lanes and open water. It is the area on streets and highways where two lanes narrow to one, necessitating a zipper merge. For zipper merging to work for both policy makers and administrators, an understanding is required that all of the parties are on the same team, just playing different positions. Much of the time, members of these two groups can work effectively while staying in their own lanes. At others, however, it makes sense to bring the parties together to be sure everyone is comfortable with the direction the organization is going and the speed with which it is heading toward its destination.
When merging occurs, managers will be required to exercise different skills than might be needed in a conventional business meeting. A premium will be placed on the ability to educate, advise, and facilitate in settings with more unknowns. Managers will need to be ready to say “I don’t know. Let me check on that and get back to you.”
Local government management has been increasing in complexity over time and seems likely to continue to do so. The environment for municipal executives is very different than it was fifty or one hundred years ago. Adapting to new realities has always been a requirement of the job but presents ever increasing challenges for practitioners.
Council members will continue to seek engagement in ways that allow them to take pride in performing the complete range of roles characteristic of their positions. They want to feel that they are an integral part of the solution. Those local government professionals who can assist them in achieving this aim are likely to enjoy a longer and more harmonious relationship with elected officials than those who do not.
And now for something completely different… The enchanting 2021 family film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On has been added to offerings from Netflix and Hoopla in recent weeks. It earned a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Film. Watching it last night allowed me to experience the joy I wrote about in Delight. I felt it was my duty to my readers to call it to their attention.