While we hang out in the city council lobby waiting for the council to emerge from a private meeting, thought we’d take time to share some of the insights from the people who attended the city manager finalist forums Wednesday and Thursday. The information comes from the slips people submitted to the city after the forums. The Eagle requested them and the city obliged. There were some we couldn’t read, and others that just said “good” or “bad.” These excerpts are just some of the most colorful quotes. So read on for more…
On Sedgwick County Manager William Buchanan:
“How do you not know whether dash cams make a difference? Is there no communication with the sheriff and county manager?”
“He presumably does a good job at the county; but I don’t see the match between him and the city manager position of Wichita.”
“I don’t think he’s the one.”
“Lots of inner strength, focused.” But the writer called him “aloof.”
On Urbandale, Iowa City Manager Robert Layton:
“Seemed youngish”
“Does not quite seem ready, 2-3 yrs from now he has the potential to be the best fit.”
On Topeka City Manager Norton Bonaparte, Jr:
“Seemed like OK candidate but race disadvantage because … (Illegible) number of blacks in high positions would make his selection suspect. Fair or unfair.
“Something very distant about him. Not a fully good feel for him.”
On Floyd Johnson, executive director of the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency:
“Not impressed”
“Steady, competent, thoughtful, measured.”
On Skip Noe, former city manager of Corpus Christi, Texas:
“The most personable and transparent. Seems very approachable engaging.”
“From a look standpoint, does not seem approachable.”
“Seems honest, straightforward and experience.”
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According to local news reports, three Wichita city manager candidates remain: Skip Noe from Corpus Christi, Texas: Robert Layton from Urbandale, Iowa; and current Sedgwick County manager, Bill Buchanan.
Of those, Skip Noe appears to be by far the best qualified.
Local Sedgwick county manager, Bill Buchanan would be, in my opinion, the worst possible choice. He led the county government on its disasterous development of the 1/2 billion dollar downtown white elephant ice hockey arena. Amazingly he forgot about reserving money out of the sales tax for promised parking, thoroughfares in and out of the arena area, ongoing operations costs, security expenses and storm/sanitary sewers, etc.
Additionally, the public has never been told what happened to the interest collected on the income from the $220 million dollars in sales taxes brought in over two years, a sizable amount itself.
Now, Bill Buchanan is looking for an easy place to flee to before a new set of County Commissioners take over the Sedgwick County courthouse in January.
Of course, the Valley Center city manager’s job is no longer available in this game of city manager musical chairs … George Kolb, ex-Wichita city manager just grabbed that one.
Actually, we need to keep acting city manager Scott Moore in the position if he is still available, for two reasons:
1) No changes should be made now until after the April city council elections, and
2) Right now, more important than hiring a new city manager, a discussion is needed about updating the organization of Wichita’s city manager form of city government. Many people think the power of the Wichita mayor should be increased and the power of the city manager should be decreased.
In my opinion, the size of the Wichita city council and the Sedgwick county commission needs to each be increased by two more members. The salaries of the members in each case should be reduced proportionally.
We need to invite the fellow who used to be a spokesman for Wichita’s city government and now does something similar for the successful Kansas City and Wyandotte County, Kansas, combined government to speak in Wichita to gather information from him about their programs. Sorry, I don’t remember his name.