The editorial board weighs in on the search for city manager: According to the city charter, a city manager “must be appointed solely on the basis of executive and administrative qualifications” and that, with council consent, the city manager may serve as the head of one or more departments “provided there is no incompatibility of office.” Should the city police chief report to his or herself as city manager? Are the positions compatible? Can they effectively be performed at the same time long-term?
Those are questions that demand thorough public vetting. The council should initiate the discussion before negotiating to hire someone for a role the community has not indicated it wants.