City should answer questions

City attorney Steve Bryant has recommended that the city council as a whole decide whether to direct staff to answer questions raised by citizens about the process used to hire an economic development manager. (See story, page 1.)

The council should instruct staff to provide those answers.

Nothing erodes citizens' trust in government more swiftly than the appearance of stonewalling or a cover-up. Some on the council may feel that queries involving whether or not the city followed its own contracting ordinances are "gotcha" questions. That's understandable, but its also irrelevant.

Whatever their perceived motivation, the questions are straightforward and deserve a straightforward answer. If, as the attorney insists, the city did nothing improper in the process, the council has nothing to worry about. If it turns out that the city made a mistake, the council needs to acknowledge any errors and correct them or make amends.

Evading straightforward questions with legalistic defenses does the city no good and it creates a cloud of distrust around the economic development project that the city is investing money and energy in promoting.

We are confident that there was no bad faith involved in the mayor's and the city's efforts in securing an economic development manager. The council should ensure that the city's actions after the fact don't create the impression that there was.

Jim Cornelius, Editor