Stevens Point City Hall. MWC file photo by Mike Leischner
STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) — After more than 80 minutes of discussion and debate, the Stevens Point Personnel Committee took no action on a proposal to implement a City Administrator in 2027.
The discussion included input from Superior Mayor Jim Paine, who said his city explored the same discussion several years ago before voting it down via referendum. He noted that residents didn’t like the idea of not having a full-time elected leader, no matter how much they agree or disagree with the Mayor. “During the conversation, the public was furious about this. The idea of reducing their Mayor, whoever that may be, to part-time status- to not work full-time in their interests. That was really offensive to the people of Superior. The referendum failed a little more than 70-30.”
Many residents who spoke during public comment said the same thing- Mayor Mike Wiza is open and accessible day or night. “[He is] strongly active in the community, and I would say firsthand he is likely working more than 40 hours per week. People tag him [on Facebook] 24 hours a day, and he responds. You can find him in the grocery store, at a ribbon cutting ceremony, meeting with business owners, and if you stop him on the street to talk he doesn’t say ‘Oh I’m not working right now, I’m busy.’ He stops to meet with his [constituents],” said one person.
Alder Shaun Morrow, who does not sit on the Personnel Committee but did provide public input, said he canvassed his neighborhood this weekend and just two residents agreed with the proposal as written. “Everybody else thought we were nuts. Not everybody liked Mayor Wiza, I got an earful from a lot of folks who really did not like [him]. But, they like voting for their Mayor.”
Paine also noted that multiple studies have shown that a City Administrator leads to more disconnect between residents and their government and doesn’t always lead to more efficiencies. “By far the strongest performance with the lowest tax, lowest spending, and fiscal efficiency are where you have a Mayor and a Council without an Administrator intervening. An Administrator generally raises costs over just a Mayoral form of government.
“It creates real barriers between the public and their elected officials,” added Paine.
At one point, Alder Sam Lang seemed to imply that he had off-the-record information that the movement came from a personal vendetta or behind-the-scenes misconduct. During an exchange with City Attorney A. Logan Beveridge, he asked how that information should be brought to light or discussed by the council. That inquiry was halted by Attorney Beveridge and Committee Chair Mary Kneebone, who both agreed it was too far off the agenda item for discussion. Kneebone went on to say that such misconduct was going on behind the scenes, a formal complaint should be filed and the matter should be investigated.
The Committee did not vote on the matter. It’s unclear if it will be brought back at a future date.
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