Mayor Bob Coble had the following perspective to add to the restructuring commission’s failure after three years to agree upon anything (this is from a Tuesday e-mail I’m just now getting to):
I wanted to add a perspective on the Restructuring Commission report (I am attaching the motion City Council approved establishing the Commission for information). First, the Commission draft report recommended the strongest version of the hybrid system that I ever suggested. While the recommendation is not the strong mayor, it is a much stronger mayor than the status quo. If this system existed today, the City would have a very accountable government, and the citizens would know "where the buck stopped’ when problems arise. Secondly, while the Commission fell one vote short of a recommendation to City Council, it did reach a consensus by ten outstanding citizens of Columbia who are geographically, philosophically, and racially diverse. Thirdly, the recommendation could not be enacted by City Council even if it had gotten the one more vote. This hybrid form of government must be enacted into enabling legislation by the Legislature in order to give all cities this option to adopt it by ordinance or by citizen petition.
I think everyone should review the findings and the draft recommendation carefully. If the community sees the same benefits to these changes that the ten Commission members did, then the next step is the State Legislature. It meets in less than a month.
Mayor Bob attached this file containing the text of the resolution that failed.
You know what I think.
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