City Hall needs a charter change

If anyone is looking for a heated discussion about Whitefish these days, the topic of City Hall is sure to be near the top of the list. While it is tempting to assign individual blame to our city’s woes, the heart of the problem lies much deeper.

The city charter, for example, divides decision-making into three different bodies. The first body is an elected mayor that sets the agenda but does not vote on issues unless there is a tie. The second is a voting council composed of six elected members, and the third is a city manager who works for the council members.

While the city manager does not vote on issues before the council, his influence is unmistakable. With the exception of the city manager, who is on salary, the mayor and council perform their noble and often times thankless jobs without pay.

The measure of any local government is based on its ability to make efficient and effective decisions, provide transparency and accountability, and ensure a system of checks and balances so that key decisions are adequately reviewed in the interest of public good. If the city of Whitefish is falling short, then let the first stone be cast at the outdated city charter.

My grandfather, Arthur Harlow, of Harlow Chevrolet, was one of the first presidents of the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce. At the time, I am told, the position acted as a de- facto mayor and chancellor rather than the head of a civic organization.

This was a time when the population of Whitefish was below 3,500 and volunteer organizations dominated the local community fabric. It was also a time when septic tanks, oiled gravel roads, and potholes the size of cement trucks were a common sight in Whitefish.

Later, when the need for improved city services surpassed the managerial abilities of a part-time mayor and city council, the city charter was changed to hire a full-time city manager to provide needed planning and infrastructure expertise. It made sense at the time, and eventually the septic tanks in town were replaced by sewer lines, the trucks stopped dumping fresh oil on the streets, and the potholes were reduced to the size of small SUVs.

No one, however, could have anticipated the amount of growth in the past few years, and the implications it has had for both the people and the government of Whitefish. The sheer scale of change demands we now rethink how the far-reaching city decisions are being made.

Simply stated, it’s time to change the city charter and empower a strong mayor to reflect the changing needs of a growing Whitefish. We need a full-time elected mayor with the authority to direct and manage the city departments to include fire, police, water, parks, public works and the city manager.

Our current system of having the city manager work for the council sufficed when the pace of change wasn’t so great, but falls short in addressing the current challenges. To put this into perspective, try thinking about the headaches of having to work for two bosses, and then triple it by working for six.

Clear direction is needed in any organization, and the failure to provide it creates inefficiency and waste, and clouds accountability.

A strong mayor would give too much power to a single elected official, you say? Not so if actions are reviewed and he or she is held accountable by both the city council and the electorate.

An elected mayor can be removed through a two-thirds vote of the council or through voter recall. If there is power to be held, it is always better to be in the hands of those who derive it from the people.

Equally important in government is the President Truman’s motto, “The buck stops here.” With a strong mayor, the buck stops at a name. I don’t know about you, but the next time a house is built too close to Wisconsin Avenue or condos encroach upon Whitefish River, I want to know whose desk to pound on.

The benefit of a strong mayor is increased efficiency and greater responsiveness to the city council and to the citizens. It’s time to change the city charter and support a government that derives its authority from the people and is held accountable for its actions. Let’s all put personal interest aside and do the right thing to keep Whitefish, well, Whitefish.

Ryan Zinke is a commander U.S. Navy SEALs and a third-generation Whitefish resident.