Fort Smith boss seeks hire/fire authority

Fort Smith City Administrator Dennis Kelly has requested the authority to hire and fire “department heads and other various officers within the city’s organization.”

The request is part of a review of city government Kelly announced in December that was initially to be complete by April. Members of the Fort Smith Board of Directors are saying the review from Kelly might be delivered as late as July.

Kelly made the request in a May 7 memo to Mayor Ray Baker and the board of directors. The issue will be discussed at the May 12 board study session held at Noon in the Community Room of the Fort Smith Public Library.

Existing city code is interpreted as giving the board the authority to hire and fire key department heads.

“Prior to completing the city’s organization analysis the city administrator has determined it necessary to solicit changes to the hire/fire authority of department heads such that they would come directly under the authority of the city administrator without board of director approval,” Kelly noted in the memo.

He asks for the hire/fire authority over all positions except city attorney, city clerk, internal auditor and the city prosecutor.

Kelly’s memo concluded by explaining: “This is the last step the city administrator needs in order to complete the organizational analysis and bring it to the board within the next few weeks. The city administrator strongly recommends these changes and will be prepared to discuss with each board member the various changes and answer any questions you may have regarding this matter.”