Second in a series.
Re: “Not Personal, Says Nachbar”
City Manager John Nachbar was not surprised that a dispute was sparked at the last City Council meeting over a proposal to transfer supervision of the police and fire chiefs from the Council to his office.
“The community has not been of one mind in this issue for a long time,” he said. “I am also sure there were community members who were not supportive of moving to the city manager form of government.
On the dais, the primary resistance came from Councilperson Meghan Sahli-Wells. She did not want the Council to surrender any control over them, and she narrowly lost a bid to place the scheme on the Nov. 8 ballot.
What is Mr. Nachbar’s feeling about chances of voters approving the switch in power?
Because the proposal had placed the city manager in an awkward position, he exhaled, wordlessly.
What could he say?
“I will continue to perform to the best of my ability, regardless of the outcome,” he said.
Mr. Nachbar wants it known that “I did not advocate for this change. The genesis and the energy for this effort come from elected officials, not me,”
That was one of Ms. Sahli-Wells’s reasons for opposing the switch – that the city manager is appointed, not elected, and therefore beyond the reach of voters.
Mr. Nachbar noted that he serves at the will of the Council, which can detach him at any time, without cause.
“Ultimately,” said the city manager, “I am just trying to be objective because it is a democratic process.
“The people of Culver City are the ones who make the decision. I respect that.”
But Mr. Nachbar is a normal person with feelings. He wants to be like his colleagues.
“From my standpoint as a professional city manager,” he said, “I can just share that it is uncommon for a city manager not to have this authority.”
(To be continued)
