At large elections

At large elections

Well, Our usually silent council is trying to put one by us. A few years ago the way we elected our Council was changed from at-large to a district based system. The reason was that as a district system there would be a larger number of people running for election, giving us more control in who represents us. I don't know which system I would endorse (yet), but I do have a problem with the fact that if the papers hadn't been there, then we wouldn't have known about Thursdays meeting.
This fits with our council. A double secret meeting, No time for someone to oppose them, a time when most people are just getting out of work, and they will not be giving accurate information about the pluses and minuses of this.
Our council is taking steps to protect their sweet part time jobs, the ones with a FULL Time benefits and retirement.
I'm beginning to believe it is time to go back to a weak mayor form of government (In this form, the mayor is elected by voters, but has little real political power and less independence than a strong mayor. A weak mayor serves largely ceremonial duties).
In the weak-mayor form of the mayor–council government, the council possesses both legislative and executive authority. The council may appoint officials and might approve of mayoral nominations. The council also continues to exercise primary control over the municipal budget (This is the form of city level government envisioned by Andrew Jackson called, innovatively enough, Jacksonian democracy). The point is if a mayor has limited power and multiple checks, They can do little harm.
In the strong-mayor form the elected mayor is given almost total administrative authority and a clear, wide range of political independence, with the power to make unilateral decisions without council approval and little, or no public input. In this system, the strong-mayor prepares and administers the city budget, although that budget must be approved by the council.
Abuses in this form led to the development of the council–manager form of local government and its adoption widely throughout the United States.
So once again Wilkes-Barre is behind the times with an antiquated, easily manipulated system. Anyone who doubts this has only to look at the previous administration. Mayor McGroarty ran around doing anything he wanted, until he became a 'lame-duck' (having lost his re-election bid), and then with little to worry about in the way of repercussions from him, council finally stepped up and stopped his last few rampages.
I'm thinking the weak-mayor form of government may be better for Wilkes-Barre because council would have to make a stand on their decisions and not hide behind someone. This would at least make them EARN their pay, benefits, and retirement.

Enough for Now

Dan Emplit