Tuesday, August 12, 2008

CFP provides information on the naming of new City Manager Greg Burris

The new issue of the Community Free Press is online.

Read all about the new city manager, named today and view pictures from the City's News Conference!

The video of the news conference is available at CityConnect.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

At this critical financial time for Springfield, does it make sense to choose a new City Manager with no experience in that capacity? What a waste of time and money during the "search". Honestly, was there every any question as to whom the next City manager would be?

Jackie Melton said...

Look, the fact of the matter is the Council named the new City Manager today.

The time to ask those questions is over. Now is the time to accept the Council's decision and give him a chance to do the job.

The Council, who spent a great deal more time with the candidates, believed that Burris was the right choice. They believe his experience with MSU qualified him. It was an 8-1 vote for Mr. Burris. I think, since he hasn't even moved into his office yet and won't until Sept. 15, that it's a bit premature to judge whether it was a waste of time and money, don't you?

Slow down and take a deep breath.

tom said...

I believe anonymous does have a point, those of us that watch the workings of this city knew and made predictions this would occur when the names were mentioned. It never fails that a "local" will garner the endorsement of those in the know or who ever might be pulling the strings from the back room.

Jacke also has a point, now that Burris is the one with the position we should support him until such time as he proves himself to be a bumbling fool or a lackey for those in the back room.

It is easy to criticize the here and now but I don't recall hearing very much criticism until the audit made people aware of what was really happening in this city.

Mr. Burris deserves a chance even if we don't like the selection or the hidden process of how he was hired, I for one will be curious to how he handles a position for which he has little expertise in. Experience sometimes doesn't mean they can handle the job and often times a fresh outlook can make all the difference in the world.

Jackie Melton said...

"...those of us that watch the workings of this city knew and made predictions this would occur when the names were mentioned."

Tom, I will admit I wasn't surprised at the announcement and, in fact, VDJ announced who it would be last week, a full week prior to the announcement.

Think about that. A week prior to the Council's official VOTE, someone leaked what the vote was going to be to Vince. Perhaps someone knowing the results of the official vote before it hadn't taken place doesn't qualify as "the fix being in," (as you put it) but, it's certainly worth noting.

For some reason, there didn't seem to be much surprise over the announcement among my own circle of friends and acquaintances. I'm sure there's a reason for that but....

Yes, the only choice anyone has now is to hope for the best and give Mr. Burris a chance.

Anonymous said...

Life Of Jason said he was tipped off last week who the new city manager would be.


Now either the two guys made lucky guesses (I picked the winner also) and are inflating their influence or someone has loose lips.

Jackie Melton said...

It was Deep Throat.

tom said...

I never mentioned the "fix being in" and if your talking about my blog that was done in a tongue and cheek matter to get the ire of those reading it.

The predictability of those within city government lacks any substance what so ever. I will admit that Cynthia threw me on her vote cast against the metal detectors but still there is NO suspense when watching these people.

It would be nice to not have predictability in council chambers so everybody who follows council can predict what they are going to do before it happens.

So tell me why can people say for certain how the council will vote on matters such as this unless they know for certain the inner workings of council and those pulling the strings behind the scenes

Jackie Melton said...

Yeah, I was talking about your blog and I knew you wrote it tongue in cheek. I read the comments too. ;)

In answer to your question, I think it could simply be familiarity with the Council in many cases.

I find the Council pretty predictable, myself, most of the time. Sometimes they surprise me but not very often. Their choice of City Manager didn't surprise me.

I like to try to guess what they are going to say or how they are going to vote as much as the next person.

Both of the people "loose lips" referred to claimed to have insider information. I don't have any reason to suspect either of them of not being honest about that and didn't intend to imply otherwise if I did somehow.

Are you disgruntled at me, Tom?

If so, join the club, seats are fillin' up fast, better hurry.

tom said...

I had an individual tell me just after the three were selected which one would be chosen.

PSYCHIC ?????

Jackie Melton said...

Maybe. Ask the individual that told you that if he or she is a psychic.

I thought it would be Burris almost immediately too, am I psychic? I don't claim to be and yet, I felt I knew it would be Burris in the end, too. Further, I didn't have any insider information. I just felt like I knew it would be Burris.

There's a reason for people feeling that way, whether that reason is correct or not, I can't say. That reason hasn't entered the realm of fact as it cannot or has not been verified, I don't know if it will at some point, but right now, at this moment, it remains in the realm of suspicion and rumor.

I make an effort not to deal in suspicion and rumor (not always successfully, here at JH, I might add) but am not opposed to reporting on suspicion and rumor because they are often a part of public communication.