Interim Chief To Address ‘Interim’ Problem: WHOPPER WATCH

Published 04/19/2024 · Updated 06/10/2024

whopper.watch .12.26

“Interim.”

City manager Wendy Stephanson from her massive city reorganization

You just sit here dumbfounded day after day.

Stephanson’s new reorg chart addresses problems no one knew existed and ignores woes that are uncomfortable. The usual deflection from the real difficulties of the municipal government and its residents … but making sure the developers are well-serviced.

One of the city’s biggest difficulties is the number of interim managers filling spots for a long time. Important posts.

But this one … gold bless staff’s exterior of ice and heart of cold water … is about to become legend.

The city has myriad problems and so Stephanson creates a brand-spanking-new Strategic Initiatives department to better serve council and deliver services more effectively.

Now there isn’t a need to rush this Strategic Initiative because there was no deadline. No one knew it was coming. And one wonders if it is necessary at all when the municipality has not addressed the critical Night Mayor post. Where are their priorities?

But how do you announce a major program and not have a manager in place? One of the city’s biggest woes is there are too many interim managers. The upside of that is that the city is losing a corporate memory that is well worth losing unlike in many organizations.

In a city chock-a-block with interim managers, your big new important Strategic Initiative department has an interim manager. The interim manager is to address the problem of too many interim managers.

You can’t make this up.

Ken Gray

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