Mayor Meets With Manager
By Heidi Zemach for SCN
City Manager Jim Hunt met with City Mayor David Seaward at City Hall last Friday for a private briefing on city affairs for the first time since Seaward was elected by the voters over a year ago. Actually, the meeting wasn’t quite private, as Assistant Manager Ron Long, and Councilmember Ristine Casagranda also came along, and Seward Phoenix Log reporter/editor Wolfgang Kurtz dropped by for a photo. The meeting between Hunt and Seaward was one long called for by Hunt, and by other council members, who pleaded with the mayor to go visit Hunt, as the two —one an elected mayor, the other a hired manager, have not spoken together except during council meetings for most of the mayor’s year in office. Seaward has preferred to get information by contacting the manager’s administrative secretary, which has not yielded results. At the last city council meeting, Seaward expressed frustration that he is always the last one to know what’s going on. His feelings were echoed by Casagranda, who said she felt similarly left out of the loop on certain issues—especially the progress of development at Seward Marine Industrial Center. She offered to accompany Seaward to the briefing. It remains to be seen whether
or not the meeting will mark the beginning of a better working relationship between the manager, mayor, and council.
Author: Freedom
10:28 pm
This is the best news to date on this ridiculous situation.
But, Heidi, it is irresponsible and unprofessional to continue to fan the flames by including the speculation in your last sentence:
“Whether or not the meeting, or future such meetings, should they occur, will mark the beginning of a better working relationship between the manager, mayor, and council—or not—remains to be seen.”
Besides, the grammar in that sentence is atrocious.
11:13 pm
Dear Can’t Resist,
I re-wrote that last sentence, which was unweildy, but disagree that it is irresponsible or unprofessional to speculate, or at least pose a question of whether it will help defuse a situation, which I have observed at every meeting and worksession since the mayor was elected a year ago. And what’s wrong with pondering aloud its implication? Especially as people seem to like the comment section of this community news website so much.
11:21 pm
yes, continue to write as it is..
10:40 am
Heidi,
Keep up the great work. These accusations of “biased” reporting are ridiculous.
-Kris
8:03 pm
I agree with Kris – Keep up the good work, Heidi! The statement was a “call it is what it is” one everyone knows!
I’m simply curious why the mayor has not met or routinely spoken with the manager all along. What’s up with THAT? Makes no sense to me. The mayor and manager of a city are supposed to be in close communication at all times.
I’m fairly positive the administrative secretary is not being paid accordingly to be the middle-man of important communications between the mayor and manager. Bummer for him/her! That communication “telephone game” must rest heavy on the secretary’s shoulders as well as the citizens of our community, mayor, manager and council.
Well, I do hope this is a step towards the normal running of a city by the mayor and manager. And their work with the council.
2:16 pm
To clear the air…I have had set meetings with the mayor all year long and he failed to contact either me or Mr. Long despite the executive liaison informing the mayor that she does not speak for the city manager’s office and he was calling on the wrong days. Over forty weeks of no contact.
Enjoy the Sun!
Jim Hunt