HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/07/2010 00 Misc Distributed at the Meeting RECEIVED
CITY OF YAKIMA
SEP 0 7 2010
September 5, 2010 OFFICE OF CITY COUNCIL
Mayor and City Council Members of Yakima, Washington ,-
City Hall
Yakima, Washington
RE: Discussion of Elected Mayor Form of Government
Town Hall Meeting of September 7, 2010
An elected mayor form of city government is, as Councilmen Edler and
Ensey have indicated, the most effective method of administering the actions
of city government. The number of Washington cities ascribing to this
concept is testament to its acceptance.
The Council should resolve a transitional method to bridge the inevitable
leadership gap. The appointment of Richard Zais is a logical choice —
perhaps the only choice — simply because he and his senior staff are the only
qualified leaders in this community. The mayoral election would then take
place six years hence. Under the circumstances, the Council should have the
authority to effect a change of this nature. An election now would simply
not produce anything gainful.
Rules, regulations and procedures are a matter of record, but the Council
continues to concentrate on modifications of accepted and legal city
activities, and in so doing, are responsible for creating a constant stalemate
state of affairs. The reason for this occurrence is represented in the
Council's lack of training in the very difficult and demanding arena of
government administration. Suggestions made by rookies on certain issues
(usually already identified) are generally sophomoric, and often, I expect,
thought to be time - consuming and unproductive.
Mr. Zais and his senior staff are highly qualified and more importantly, they
excel in this arena.
I have but one request that in deliberations of budget formulations,
reductions, if deemed necessary, shall be cut equally — meaning on a
percentage basis — throughout every department ... with the exception of law
enforcement. Adjustments in this manner are fair. A vital segment of this
request is that it be administered using constructive and conservative
principles... at all times!
Yakima's improvement, in a general sense, can only be realized when crime
is reduced to the lowest conceivable level. Constructive thinking and
renewed cooperation by the judicial system is crucial to the success of
everlasting crime prevention.
Respectfully,
Richard Alan Smith
7005 Scenic Drive
Yakima, WA 98908
509 966 0179