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ST. LOUIS � There�s a new proposal that would strip many of the St. Louis Mayor's responsibilities.

Many cities across the country have a form of government where there's a
city manager or a city administrator who�s in charge of the day-to-day operations of the city. A local alderwoman wants to see that in St. Louis.

Alderwoman Daniela Vel�zquez said this is no slight to Mayor Tishaura
Jones � she just felt that creating this new position would make local government more efficient.

It's going to take buy in from the rest of the Board of Aldermen and
ultimately voters to make it happen.

"59% of cities (with) over 100,000 people in the U.S. have this form of government,� Vel�zquez said.

She�s on a mission she says would better address St. Louis' long-term
needs.

"You're talking about challenges that started 10, 20, 30 years ago and solutions that might fully take 10, 20, 30 years to have a different
outcome. So that might require us to think differently and take a
different approach to the way we've been doing things," Vel�zquez
explained.

Since mayors come and go, as well as each mayor's team of staffers,
Vel�zquez wants to create a city administrator position � a person trained
in government operations who would ideally stay on board when
administrations change.

�It's really about taking the politics out of the actual administration of
the city... It would essentially give the city administrator the authority
to really be responsible for hiring and also disciplining department
heads," she said. "You're hiring people based on their qualifications.
They're not political appointees."

"What would then be the Mayor's main focus?� 5 On Your Side's Brent
Solomon asked.

"They still have a vision of the city and then the city administrator is essentially the one who executes that vision,� Vel�zquez said.

It comes as the St. Louis County Council is considering giving council
members the power to remove department heads. There are questions over
whether that could apply to the ability to also remove the County
Executive. That plan would have to go before voters, and so would this
proposal out of the city.

In St. Louis, that isn't expected to happen until August of next year at
the earliest.

"Potentially professionalize our operations in the city,� Vel�zquez said.

5 On Your Side took this proposal to the candidates running to be the next
St. Louis Mayor.

�We weren't made aware of this bill until after it was filed, and we got
the actual text of the bill after that. As such, we haven't had time to
review, but it's clear from a quick glance that it would have major implications for the City of St. Louis,� a spokesperson for Mayor Tishuara Jones' Office said Friday.

�HB162 is a reflection of the perceived ineptness and incompetence within
the city�s leadership. Therefore, the Board of Aldermen are trying to
ensure the effectiveness of the city�s administration. They are adding
more layers upon layers. Soon we will be bogged down. St. Louis needs real change. Under the right leadership we can minimize the malaise and start
taking care of business,� candidate Andrew Jones said.

�Alderwoman Vel�zquez would really like me as Mayor. I have all the
credentials to be a good city administrator; a Master�s in Public Administration, 6 years experience running a city department, and 6 years
of private sector experience. Several of my colleagues from school are
current city administrators,� candidate Michael Butler Said.

Alderwoman Cara Spencer did not respond with a comment prior to the
deadline of this report.

https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/alderwoman-proposal-city- administrator-position/63-ffc3efa7-cca2-4d0a-ad60-8525c539b6d6?ref=exit-
recirc

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