City Council, citizens mull changing government structure

Current Madison Mayor Troy Trulock (File Photo/Nick Sellers)

By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer

MADISON – Highlighted by a clash between Mayor Troy Trulock and the Madison City Council at its latest regular meeting on Aug. 10, the word is out about a committee formed to explore the possibility of fundamentally changing the executive leadership of Madison’s municipal government.

The possible change the committee is exploring is a shift to a city council-manager form of governance. Trulock voiced his opposition to the idea on Aug. 10, with Council President Tommy Overcash and District 3 Councilman D.J. Klein responding in a tense back-and-forth session.

During the meeting, Trulock insisted that he has received feedback from citizens and city employees that the city is “headed in the right direction,” citing also a recent poll conducted.

“The citizens have clearly not voiced support for the city manager position,” Trulock stated.

In addition, Trulock cited the record of minutes from the July 22 work session, in which there was discussion among the Council members of possibly creating the city manager position. Trulock voiced concern that the omission of the discussion of the city manager position is intentional, with Klein firing back at Trulock.

“I can’t imagine where you’re getting that information from, that it’s some sort of conspiracy,” Klein said. “It’s completely untrue.”

Documents from that meeting show the Council’s discussion of creating a “project manager” position, but makes no mention of city manager.

Overcash concluded the dialogue by stating that the “city manager task force” is proceeding as planned, with longtime city resident John Allen, whom Overcash gave his support to, chairing the committee.

Allen, who has lived in Madison since 1994, said Council members brought the issue to the committee to investigate whether they believe Madison would be served by a council-manager form of government.

“What structure would make us better for the long term is kind of the question we’re trying to find the answer to,” Allen said.

With a city manager form of governance, the city manager would oversee all the city’s department heads and implement ordinances and rules.

“In the past, there have been council members investigating different forms of government,” Allen said, but added that the exploratory committee, or “Blue Ribbon panel,” as described in the work session minutes, marks the furthest the city has come to changing the local government structure.

Allen said that Klein asked him to chair the committee on Aug. 4. There is no firm timeline on when the committee will present its conclusions from what Allen described as a “fact-finding mission,” although the generic deadline Council asked for is Oct. 1.

“All the [exploratory committee] meetings are going to be in the public,” Allen said. “We’ll be as digital as possible.”

As Madison continues to expand into eastern Limestone County, with population estimates reaching 68,000-72,000 in the next decade, Allen said as a citizen he wants the city to employ the most effective government structure for managing that growth.

“It’s really a conversation of the success we’ve had to date,” Allen said. “What we’re trying to find is, can it enhance the success.”