Image courtesy of Hays, KS. Retrieved from http://www.haysusa.com/html/city_manager.html

An influential citizens group wanted a major sports complex built in Hays. The city commission, which is Hays’ elected body, was against the idea, citing other priorities such as stormwater and street improvements that required the city’s financial resources. The city manager was caught in the middle because he and his staff serve both the commission and residents.

City Manager Toby Dougherty was aware of his precarious position. On the one hand, he knew that neither the commission nor the city staff considered the sports complex a priority. On the other hand, he knew that those involved in the group were prominent, active citizens, and the last thing he wanted was to give them cause to disengage. Further, he didn’t want to jeopardize the commissioners’ relationship with members of the group. He also needed to maintain good contact and relations with them so his office could manage the administrative functions should they be successful.

Dougherty worked with the group to answer their questions and laid down some ground rules about the financing needed to complete the project.

The group was persistent in their demands for the sports complex, even in the face of numerous public and private rejections of their plan by the city commission. They formed a partnership with nearby Fort Hays State University to purchase the land and offset some of the costs. Still against the idea, the commission eventually suggested that the group put the issue on the ballot in the upcoming election.

Although the commission needed to remain hands-off and he and his staff needed to remain neutral, Dougherty recognized his obligation to the community, and worked with the sports complex group to make certain that it got the correct legal language on the ballot.

The period prior to the election was tense for city staff, who were in a difficult position. The commission had made it very clear that this was not “their project,” however staff was required to offer assistance and provide legal counsel on financing questions and bonding issues as well as ballot issues. City staff members were able to accomplish this and still maintain a separation from the campaign itself, in large part because of the professionalism of the staff and an understanding in the community about the political neutrality of city staff.

In November of 2008, the sports complex ballot initiative passed overwhelmingly. The commission accepted the vote as the will of the people, and although it had other priorities, it embraced the project. Because the city manager and the city staff maintained a neutral position while providing the citizens group with the information they needed, they maintained a positive relationship with the commission, created an open process that allowed the voters to decide, and contributed to residents’ goodwill toward their local government. Further, they assured that the plan that was passed was financially feasible.