ISSUE # 8 ... MAYOR MICK REJECTS ASPEN GOVT STRUCTURE

The recent, and thankfully withdrawn, proposal for a doubling of Council salaries triggered some surprising statements on August 25 and 26 from the Mayor about our City government:

- Mick feels that the mere doubling of salaries suggested by Jack Johnson is woefully inadequate, but, given the current economy,--it's premature to hand out raises.

-He unilaterally declared Council positions to be "beyond 40 hours per week" full-time jobs.

-And most astounding was his proclamation that he "does not accept the CEO form of government" in Aspen.

(Click to see his surprising statement in a video clip. ).

"No One Sent For Me????" a few paragraphs below, is Andrew Kole's take on the salary/workload subject.

The Red Ant is equally troubled by Mick's rejection of our traditional government structure.

Aspen: To Date a Democracy, Its Future…?

The President of the United States cannot personally amend the Constitution. Should our Mayor be able to effectively change the Aspen City Charter in order to rule the roost?

The "CEO " (Council-Manager) form of government, in place since at least 1970 as a fundamental building block of our Municipal Charter, contemplates a professional City Manager as chief executive of the City reporting to the Council. Council is to represent the wishes of the citizenry, providing policy level guidance and strategic direction to the City's CEO, and ensuring that management performs to those expectations. Council work was intended to be, and should return to, a part-time strategic level responsibility, taken on by interested citizens elected to the post, much like a board of trustees of a university, or hospital board, a non-profit board, or even a corporate board.

Why have we encouraged "job creep" to enable a dysfunctional government?

We now have Council members who incessantly micromanage, concentrating power in the hands of a few who appear to love re-doing staff, P&Z and HPC work. Council responsibility is NOT the 40 + hours a week management job the Mayor has decreed, nor should it be.

If Councilmen are putting in 40+ hours it is because they choose to work longer rather than smarter.

If we were to make City Council responsibility a 40+ hour per week full-time job (even at double or triple the $20,000 annual salary), these positions become "unaffordable" for most citizens who could not leave their careers and other commitments in order to serve.

Is this a purposeful narrowing of the candidate pool to a very few who do not have other professional or personal commitments? How many of Aspen's brightest and best do you know who could take on an additional 40+ hours per week job, regardless of the stipend?

Council micromanagement and re-doing all the staff and board work also undermines the confidence and effectiveness of staff and volunteer boards.

While a Charter change is necessary to officially sanction this redistribution of granted power, isn't Council on a slippery slope of changing the job by fiat and willful job creep without public input? Mick claims that "the people WANT this," and that our present form of government is NOT "of, by, and for the people."

We are simply astounded by his autocratic decision. The Municipal charter structure seems appropriate. It's the misapplication, and now rejection, which concern us.

Veggie Burgers, Beer or Burlingame?

Council spent countless hours deciding how many ounces of beer The Aspen Brewery may serve you, but during their first year in office did not find time to inquire about the financial matters at Burlingame -- although they committed another $10 million to the project without a review of the budget.

Council spent hundreds of man hours determining whether you may freely change the doorknob or porch light fixtures on your 30+ year old home and ignored the Entrance to Aspen.

Council spent time discussing requiring veggie burgers at events,

( click to see the Great Veggie Burger Debate)

church parking spaces, price-controlled menus, combining a few small condos, parking schemes, one way streets, and a doggie park! Are these the priorities we elected our leaders to address?

Little time was devoted to overseeing the City's financial affairs which need focused attention. (Mick mentioned twice in recent sessions that we will likely have City job cutbacks and reduced employee hours soon because of budget issues.)

Are more Council work hours the answer? Absolutely not! Clearly define staff responsibilities and let them do their jobs. A more strategic focus by the elected City Council is the key to a better functioning government.

The Red Ant, encouraging citizen dialogue on such matters, will help sponsor a public forum on this topic in the near future.

In the meantime, share your insights, as Andrew Kole has.

No One Sent for Me???

By Andrew Kole, Provocateur

At a recent City Council work session the concept of a pay raise was introduced by Jack Johnson based on the premise the "job" was no longer part-time, but instead "full-time", Mayor Mick agreed, adding he is often stopped by people who want to express their opinion, as he goes about his business in town. The Mayor then added the "abuse" that comes with the job demanded a pay raise.
I thought about what both councilmen had to say, and decided, I WANT a raise! I DESERVE a raise! Just ask me!
So, I went to see my boss - ME. As I am self-employed, there is nobody else I could talk to. I sat down over iced coffee at INK, with myself to make my case.
First, over the last nine years I've produced and hosted over 1200 radio and TV shows. My salary is based on raising money through underwriters to buy time at Grassroots TV-12, than I get whatever is left over. I wanted more of the pie. The BOSS told me to go out and generate more underwriters - Tough to argue with that concept.
But, I then pointed out that when I go to the supermarket to shop, or to a coffee shop to reads the paper, people keep talking to me about the local political scene - I mean why can't they leave me alone? Is real "abuse" just around the corner? My BOSS pointed out that if my show weren't about local politics, people would probably let me be. And your point, I said to myself?
Out of nowhere a man appeared who had been sitting at the next table. He said he was sorry about eavesdropping, but he couldn't help himself and had something to say to me. (Once again, people talking to me when I would rather be left alone) He said, and I quote, "No one sent for you", adding, "If you don't like the job, finish out your contract and look for other work".
How dare he suggest I have a choice? What does he know? If I weren't doing my show, someone else would have to - Someone who might not be of the same political bent as me. Or, even worse, might drop the politics, and do a show about what it's like to ride a bus every day, or work a real 9-5 job, or how hard it is to support a family.
No - I think NOT. I like what I do.
Still, I am entitled to a raise, and I'm going to get one. I think I'll ask Grassroots to waive the fee charged to film my show. That's it, after all I've been contributing local dissent, the backbone of democracy, for years - I deserve something for it.
As to the "No one sent for you" comment - No comment...that is until I give myself a raise. Then I'll have more time to devote to a proper response.

Your Thoughts? Click below.

Comments

[Topgunette]

As long as Aspen City Council chooses to micro-manage every decision in this town, sadly there will be few residents able to make the huge sacrifice of time to serve on council. However, if the mayor and council focused its responsibility on policy, as should be the case, leaving the day to day operation to a competent city staff, a wider group of residents could run for office. The way to attract Aspen’s brightest and best citizens to run for office is to reduce the time needed to make policy, so citizens can have a private life AND serve as council member. We want “the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker” to be able to serve on Council—not just those with nothing else to do! We should have Council members who have a life apart from Council.

Aspen’s public may be allowed to speak at council meetings, but I haven’t noticed that council recognizes the value of genuine public involvement. One doesn’t have to read Letters to the Editor to know Aspen residents feel discouraged, demoralized, and disenfranchised by the arrogant manner in which some members of council govern---almost with disdain for its residents—even though council members are meant to be public servants representing the wishes of its citizens. It doesn’t happen here!

It’s generally accepted Aspen citizens have low expectations of council. How unfortunate the recent Town Hall meeting confirmed citizens are reluctant to make recommendations to council for fear of public abuse and humiliation. This is an unacceptable situation by any standards and should not be tolerated.

Change the organization of City Hall. The best way to attract a wider range of qualified citizens as council members is to reduce the council’s micro-management style, making sure city staff has the ability to do the job they’re hired for.

Although I agree Aspen elected officials’ pay seems low and should be increased, Council pay isn’t meant to provide for a full subsistence. Council is meant to be a part-time elected position serving the public while maintaining one’s own occupation. If Council members have no other source of income, one might question their suitability for making important decisions that affect the lives of the entire town.

I feel strongly that City Council is micromanaging far too many decisions that could and should be made by competent employees of the City. If employees aren’t competent, replace them with employees who are. This council involves itself with minutia that should more efficiently and effectively be handled by city employees who are supposed to be hired on the basis of merit.

Aspen’s City Council spends too much time on too many issues and they are not qualified to stay in the development and building business. The best way to attract and retain good council members is more about focusing their responsibility on creating policy and guidelines, not micro-managing every detail of every decision in Aspen.

Council needs to delegate responsibility to those employees who are competent, and if employees aren’t competent, replace them with those who are.