Top 5 political stories — No. 2: Hire/fire authority request

Editor’s note: With the days, weeks and months seemingly passing faster than ever, it can be difficult to remember what happened yesterday much less the past six months. To that end, The City Wire will during the next three weeks highlight the top 5 stories of the first half of 2009 in the following categories: Business/economy, political, and cultural. The top 5 business/economy stories were counted down between July 20 and July 24; the political top 5 between July 27 and July 31; and the top 5 cultural between Aug. 3 and Aug. 7.

When Fort Smith City Administrator Dennis Kelly first broached the subject at a May 12 board study session, Fort Smith Mayor Ray Baker strongly opposed the attempt, even calling Kelly’s idea “petty stuff.”

The discussion never really improved from that point.

Presently, the city code requires board approval for the hiring or firing of department heads.

City Director Cole Goodman came to Kelly’s defense at the May 12 meeting, saying he could understand Kelly’s desire to have the same control over department heads that the department heads have over their employees.

Kelly is standing firm with his request to directly manage the city’s department heads despite the initial opposition from Mayor Baker and City Directors Bill Maddox and Kevin Settle.

“The city administrator’s position is such that (the current hire/fire policies) are extraordinarily antiquated and cumbersome and do not lend themselves to efficiency of operations within the organization,” Kelly noted in the opening memo of an Organization Analysis he released July 10. “Therefore, the city administrator stands by his original position strongly recommending that Option B, the recommended amendment, be adopted for inclusion in the city code in lieu of (present policy).”

Option B provides the city administrator with hire/fire authority over all department heads — including the police chief and fire chief — with the exception of city clerk, internal auditor, city attorney and prosecutor.

During a May interview with The City Wire, Mayor Baker suggested Kelly had been coerced by certain city directors to seek the hire/fire authority.

Baker said: “I think coming so close after the mess we went through a year ago with the police thing, I just don’t think we need to get into that area again. Most of the time the board won’t challenge. I mean, I just got through telling you in 20-some-odd years we never had anything brought to us until we go that police controversy. We haven’t had it. So, why? He’s (Dennis Kelly) been put up to it. He didn’t come in here and know that stuff. He’s been put up to it by some directors. And the thing about it is, let’s just drop it at that. But what I’m saying is there’s more than meets the eye to this and it needs to be left alone. It needs to be left alone.”

(A July survey by The City Wire finds that only two city directors — Gary Campbell and Cole Goodman — support Kelly’s request.)

PREVIOUS TOP 5 POLITICAL STORIES
No. 5 — Former Fort Smith union president opposes Card Check
No. 4 — Fort Smith sales tax extension
No. 3 — TEA Parties

TOP 5 BUSINESS/ECONOMY STORIES
No. 5 — The Compass Report
No. 4 — Economic development changes
No. 3 — Intermodal authority
No. 2 — Job losses – unemployment rate
No. 1 — Sparks Health System