This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Salt Lake City Council is facing an extraordinary situation, with a new mayor who cannot even know her own job yet, as she purges city government of world-class people who have served our city well for decades — people who have irreplaceable historic knowledge, tremendous ability, proven devotion, and an incredible work ethic.
The City Council can't do anything (except speak out) about the firing of people who are not department directors, like the outstanding mayor's office manager, who served Mayor Corradini, me and Mayor Becker with distinction. However, the council, with the power of advice and consent, can do far more to protect the interests of the city and its residents (and visitors) than to just rubber-stamp the mayor's proposed appointees for department director positions.
In light of the unprecedented purging of so many long-term department directors, and given what is at stake for our community, with long-term ramifications, the council should consider issuing a statement pledging to the people of Salt Lake City that council members will only provide consent to the appointment of new department directors who are equally — or more — educated, experienced and capable than those they will be replacing.
The council's adherence to such a standard should be unwavering. The announcement of that standard will provide great comfort to the many Salt Lake City residents who are extremely concerned about the inexplicable (and unexplained) terminations or "resignations" of extraordinary people like D.J. Baxter, Rick Graham, and Jeff Niermeyer — and the possibility that the past focus on merit is being replaced with a system of political patronage.
To say that a person who doesn't have any relevant education, experience or proven capability in an area over which a city department has responsibility should be director of that department because he or she is "a good manager" or is "good with people" is like saying one should perform brain surgery because he or she has a good bedside manner. Competence and experience count. A lot.
I hope the City Council will keep that in mind when it considers Mayor Jackie Biskupski's proposed appointments. Just because they're politically well-connected or because they are "good managers" doesn't mean they have what it takes to head up departments that are crucial to the quality of life and well-being of our residents — and, in the case of the Department of Public Utilities, the health and well-being of residents throughout this region.
I supported change in the mayor's office during the last election. However, we should all do what we can to make sure the city is not undermined by appointments to vital positions that are not in the long-term best interests of city residents — and which will negatively impact morale throughout city departments.
As a community, we will be grateful to the City Council for its conscientious consideration of all proposed department director positions — perhaps the most important and far-reaching issue with which it will deal.
Ross C. "Rocky" Anderson was mayor of Salt Lake City from 2000 to 2008.