Change is in the Air? A better way

The City of Mattoon elected representatives voted to place on the November ballot a change in the form of government. Today's, Herald & Review provided a report about this decision << click here. Mattoon currently operates under the commission form of government with a professional adminstrator and is placing the alternative of selecting an council/manager form of government before the voters. While we are not fans of the council/manager form of government, we understand that it works effectively in some communities. However, we should applaud several things that we think Matton did well:

1. The current commission form of government empowered and listened to a group of citizens about government reform. The recommendations of a Form of Government Advisory Committee were the basis for the Commission's action.
2. The current Mayor and commission members supported placing the matter before voters as soon as possible. 
3. The Matton commission members trusted the voters to make a choice on their form of government. They did not express an opinion as to which way voters should vote.

A portion of the article follows -

Excerpts from the Decatur Herald & Review article (7/16/2008)

MATTOON - City Council members placed the decision of whether to switch to a city manager form of government in the hands of voters Tuesday.

By unanimous vote, commissioners approved an ordinance to file a citywide referendum on creating a council/city manager model of government. In the ordinance adopted Tuesday night, the city council does not "express its support for the adoption of a managerial form of government" but asks voters to cast ballots in the Nov. 4 referendum.

The effort to switch to a manager form of government started eight years ago when a group of residents called for a referendum on the issue. In the fall of 2000, city voters cast ballots on two questions concerning the commissioner form of government, although there was disagreement over whether that showed support for a city manager in Mattoon government.....

.....After the 2001 elections, a newly elected council agreed to hire a city administrator and maintain city commissioners as a compromise. A city administrator has duties similar to that of a city manager, but the manager position can be abolished only by a voter referendum. A council can eliminate the administrator position by majority vote.