City Manager Refuses City Council Orders

Everybody has the right to their own opinions, but not their own facts.

So I want you to know about the Ogdensburg NY City Council passed a resolution instructing their City Manager to eliminate 7 employees including 4 police officers. “But the authority to dismiss staff members rested solely with her, according to the City Charter; they couldn’t order her to take these actions,” which she refused to do. Source: NNY360

To be clear, according to their charter and the one proposed for Saratoga Springs, the elected City Council majority cannot force the appointed City Manager to fire anyone. I strongly believe that our elected officials are responsible for making these difficult decisions about what is best for our cities.

Google reveals that many (perhaps most) of the fights between City Managers and their City Councils are started by the weak Mayors who are fighting for more power than is allowed in their charters.

In Saratoga Springs, the proposed charter has a very weak Mayor, not much more than a ceremonial position. If you want leadership from elected officials, vote against the City Manager proposal which gives decision making to an appointed autocrat that you have no control over. 

– Corinne Scirocco, Saratoga Springs