PUBLIC COMMENT 1
From: Kathy Sellers
To: Public Comment; Jon Thorp
Cc: Justin Beaver; Chris Venable; Judy Woolsey; Bob Miller Subject: City Manager selection
Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025 1:42:26 PM
In light of the past unfortunate manner in which City Manager Chris Mann was hired, it is with righteous indignation and deeply held concerns that the present council is reverting to patterns that have previously raised questions, appearing to diverge from the explicit commitments made regarding robust community input to vet and hire a new city manager. I have personally been given repeated assurances by a council member that the community would be involved throughout the entire process. The fact that this is being conducted in closed session at 6:30 a.m. at a location other than city hall is troubling.
One of the more auspicious points made in the Grand Jury report was the unequivocal recommendation to involve the public and to implement transparent procedures that give time for council members and the community to provide input before the council solicits applications and appoints high-level city employees.
Once again, it appears that this common sense approach is being ignored and attention to restoring the public trust is being sidelined. Considering the pressing and complex public issues currently demanding the Council's full attention involving Councilman Miller, I respectfully but strongly urge you to critically reevaluate the appropriateness of proceeding with such a pivotal selection at this juncture. A temporary deferral of this process would not only facilitate a focused resolution of these outstanding matters, but also create the indispensable space required to establish a genuinely open, inclusive, and community - engaged framework for this appointment. Such a strategic pause is paramount to reinforcing public confidence in the integrity and responsiveness of our city's governance and leadership.
Sincerely,
Kathy and Bill Sellers