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11:35 PM Tuesday, November 3, 2009

When Pat Moeller becomes Hamilton’s mayor in January, he will lead a largely inexperienced City Council that includes three new members who were also elected Tuesday, Nov. 3 — Rob Wile, Robert Brown and Timothy Naab — to replace the departing Ed Shelton, James Noonan and Kathy Becker.

It will also include two council members whom he defeated for the mayor’s seat on Tuesday — Carla Fiehrer and Archie Johnson, who have only served on council since January 2008. A sixth member of council will have to be appointed to fill the vacancy created by Moeller’s election as mayor.

The agenda for the new mayor and new City Council was spelled out in fairly plain terms during the campaign by the candidates themselves. Seldom have we heard a group of candidates in such unanimous agreement about pressing issues. They include:

• Find a way to balance the city’s budget and still preserve the basic services — public safety, infrastructure — a city must provide. Although City Council this year toyed with the idea of a tax levy on the November ballot, candidates were unanimous during this campaign: They don’t favor asking voters for a tax increase.

• The city’s economic development effort must be fortified and the perception that City Hall is aloof and reactive — rather than aggressive and proactive — must change, as it relates to attracting jobs to Hamilton.

• City Hall must focus on supporting small businesses as well as larger employers.

• Efforts to revive the downtown and develop the riverfront will be emphasized.

• Redefining the relationship between council and city administrators.

Several candidates — including incumbent council members — described a dysfunctional relationship between city administrators and council that left some council members expressing frustration. How those issues are resolved will be left to the new council, but they must be addressed.

• Perhaps most important, officials must work to restore the public’s confidence in its city government. The “good old boys club” is an overused cliché, and yet many residents seem to feel as though they have little influence on or connection with the decision-makers at City Hall and — worse — believe that those decision-makers do not have their best interests at heart.

With the exception of the new mayor, the City Council that governed Hamilton in 2007 has been replaced by new faces. That may be considered good news in some corners, but the new council’s inexperience — in the face of a serious budget crisis — will require them to learn the ropes quickly and begin making the difficult decisions that lie ahead.

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Mr. Moller's vote to ratify the fire union contract has left the City in near bankruptcy. Good luck getting any real progress - except for some fat and happy firefighters (60% of which live outside the City). Thank Pat every time you hit a pothole in our unpaved roads or see another run down building.

Factchecker
11:01 AM, 11/9/2009

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Mike:

I moved to Hamilton from Georgia 3 years ago. Hamilton has great utility rates, a good labor pool and beautiful new schools. What hurts us is our terrible roads, vacant downtown and high crime. I wondered why these problems weren't being tackled so I looked at the City budget. I was SHOCKED at how large a fire department we have for a town our size (6 Firehouses & 6 Deputy Chiefs)! Please read the Kramer Report as I did - I realize the union is powerful but they are hurting the City.

Georgia Peach
4:47 PM, 11/5/2009

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Mr. Moller must have the courage to take on the Public Safety Unions, Fire in particular, to avoid a budget crisis by late 2010. He has shown zero desire or abiity to do such so far. Our crumbling infrastructure is costing us jobs right now - even our low cost utilities can't overcome our blighted appearence. This Council must cut the Fire Dept staffing back to the area average (about 20 less bodies) and cut the bloated fire and police middle management. I hope he is up to this challenge.

Carl Hornsby
10:14 AM, 11/5/2009

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I also don't understand why if we have good transportation facilities, own our own utilities, a good school system, a good employment pool, and good housing, why we get passed over by industry. Maybe that would be something elese to look into.

Mike
7:12 PM, 11/4/2009

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I think that along with the public's trust, they had better work on building the public employee's trust back after the last council's fiasco with the wage's and union negotiations.

Mike
7:01 PM, 11/4/2009

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