STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

One week from today Ketchum voters will be asked whether they want to change their current mayor-council form of government to a city manager-council form of government.

If they approve the city manager-council form, the number of city council members would increase from four to five. Council members would appoint one of the council members to perform such ceremonial duties as signing checks and presiding over ribbon cuttings. And they would hire a city manager as the chief administrative officer.

They might, for instance, tap current city administrator Jade Riley as city manager. Or they could task someone else with taking the reins.

The attempt to change Ketchum’s form of government was instigated by Anne Corrock, a retired Sun Valley ski instructor and former Ketchum City Council member. She said she became familiar with the city manager-council form of government 15 years ago and decided it would be a good fit for Ketchum.

Eighty-eight percent of the ski communities in Colorado and Utah utilize city manager-council governments because of complexities of running towns that have small populations with big budgets and streets, sewers and other infrastructures strained by visitors and second homeowners, she said.

“With the city manager form, you get a person with the right skill set--highly educated and experienced,” she said. “They’re in city hall all the time to tend to the day-to-day running of the city and making sure the community’s getting the services it needs.

“The elected officials are still in charge. They oversee the manager and make sure he’s moving in the right direction. And they can fire the city manager at any time.”

Mayoral forms of government have been around since medieval times, brought to the Colonies by the British.

The city-manager-council form of government arose during the Progressive Era reform movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to combat corruption and the spoils system that was prevalent among many mayor-councils at the time. Staunton, Va., was the first American city to appoint a city manager in 1908.

Today, more than 60 percent of American towns and cities have city manager-council forms of government.

In Idaho there are currently only two cities with a city manager-council government: Twin Falls and McCall. Corrock said she thinks many Idaho towns don’t utilize it because they don’t have the funds to pay a city manager.

But Ketchum already has a city administrator so the transition to a city manager-council form of government would be smooth, said Dr. Stephanie Witt, director of Training for the School of Public Service at Boise State University.

Witt told those attending a lecture regarding different forms of government at The Community Library that the manager-council form would give equal power to all five elected council members and greater oversight of funds.

In fact, a study by IBM Global Business Services said the efficiencies offered by a city manager-council form of government results on average in a 10 percent cost savings. And other studies have documented savings, as well.

ADVANTAGES OF A CITY MANAGER-COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT:

A professional manager is hired based on skill set and experience through an interview and hiring process, rather than an election.

It offers a nonpartisan approach to governing since the manager is not elected by voters on the basis of a hot-button issue or personal agenda.

Studies have documented cost savings in cities with city managers because of operational and other efficiencies.

A city manager offers long-term planning and stability in the way the city is run since the manager can serve until he or she resigns or is dismissed by a two-thirds council vote. The city manager does not have to worry about campaigning in an election year.

A city manager prepares the annual budget recommended by the council; recruits, hires and supervises staff, balances a budget, drafts legislation, oversees city departments and appoints departmental heads

The city manager form insulates the management of city from political interference as the city manager doesn’t have to run for office and raise money and get political support

DISADVANTAGES OF A CITY MANAGER-COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT:

Opponents say it could reduce direct accountability, limiting responsiveness.

It could lead to a lack of political engagement among citizens, who might relish mayoral elections.

Corrock, however, said that having a city manager wouldn’t reduce accountability and responsiveness. The public can contact the city council members about issues they’re concerned about because all council members have the ability to get something on the agenda, she said. And Ketchum is small enough that everyone has easy access to a city manager at council meetings and in City Hall.

Ketchum voters turned down a bid to change the government to a city manager-council form in 2011 opposing it 57 percent to 43 percent. But the trend in the United States is towards city manager-council forms of government.

In the case Ketchum voters approve it this time, the ballot asks voters to approve five candidates for council.

John Wigdale, who is running for mayor, has included his name among the council candidates in the event that the mayoral position is done away with. Pete Prekeges, his opponent, has not.

The ballot also asks voters to choose a mayor and two candidates for the city council in the event that voters reject the city manager-council form of government.