*Additional work history of Pam Hylton accessed from https://www.linkedin.com/pub/pam-crake-hylton/7/b78/65a
The Ferguson City Council appointed an interim city manager
on Tuesday night (March 24, 2015). The New interim city manager will be Pam
Hylton. Ms. Hylton will take the place of former city manager John Shaw until
elections are held on April 7th. At the city council meeting,
members of the community were clear that they want Ms. Hylton to show much more
transparency than the former city manager, John Shaw. While filling the role of
City Manager, Ms. Hylton will be making $100,000 annually. She was asked about
an interview, but a city spokesperson said she is not yet ready to speak to the
media. Ms. Hylton was the Assistant to the City Manager from April of 2011 to
January of 2013. She then became the Assistant City Manager of Ferguson in
January 2013 until taking the seat as an interim city manager on Tuesday night.
The hope for the community is that Pam Hylton will offer more transparency and
that she will be an effective leader for the city of Ferguson until a permanent
replacement is found.
I think that Pam Hylton may not have been the best choice because she was the Assistant City Manager and had to have known what was going on. At the same time, elections are in seven days from now and I do not think that she can make a huge impact at this point in time. The election on April 7th is to elect Council Members for each of the 3 wards of Ferguson. I can only imagine that the Council who appoints the City Manger and Assistant City Manger will replace Pam with someone new. The way that government officials are appointed in some positions by elected Council Members makes me think a little bit harder about whom I choose to elect for my city’s council.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Karla. Appointing Pam wasn't a great move, but I believe she'll be replaced quickly. While at the City Council meeting the night her appointment was approved, many residents expressed concern and it was mentioned that there should be a full-time mayor. I think that may be a good move for Ferguson. They mayor is elected and while the city manager is appointed and holds far more power than the mayor. I wonder what it would look like if some of the powers held by the city manager were shifted to the mayor.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Karla. Appointing Pam wasn't a great move, but I believe she'll be replaced quickly. While at the City Council meeting the night her appointment was approved, many residents expressed concern and it was mentioned that there should be a full-time mayor. I think that may be a good move for Ferguson. They mayor is elected and while the city manager is appointed and holds far more power than the mayor. I wonder what it would look like if some of the powers held by the city manager were shifted to the mayor.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Karla and Jenn. Appointing Pam was not a good choice. I believe that the position should have been left vacant until after the election. Since there is a lack of transparency in Ferguson, I think that the latter would have been a suitable choice.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jen and Karla, and think that Jen last statement was genius. I also believe the mayor and city manager should be residents of Ferguson with an youth assistant give keep and ear out on what are the important issues of the community on a different generation level.
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