Time for a sabbatical
Concord’s city manager is acting more and more like Donald Trump, making decisions without input or even allowing a vote. He proposed a no-bid contract to remove and stockpile for reuse the bleachers at Memorial Field without consulting the school board, who, since they refused to reuse any part of the existing middle school, may also insist on all-new bleachers. Then he issued a no-bid contract to remove 200 mature pine trees without apparently telling the city council or school board that it was going to happen.
The city manager’s employment contract gives him a three-month paid sabbatical. A sabbatical is not intended as a vacation, rather it is a chance for rejuvenation meant to be used for analysis and research for which there is insufficient time when involved with day-to-day activities. The city council should insist that he take this sabbatical this summer or fall to work on a revised fee structure that collects more from those that profit from the most city services.
For example, he promised that golfers would pay for the new clubhouse bonds after two years, let’s see the plan to do it. Use volunteers instead of city workers to staff festivals. Issue citations to campers that leave illegal trash, and let them clean it up as community service instead of paying a contractor. A lot of ideas can be generated in three months! A sabbatical would have the additional benefit of allowing the city to evaluate the interim manager (Matt Walsh?) as a potential future manager.