The saga continues

Turns out the assistant city manager is going to have to twist in the wind a little longer before enjoying his elevation.

Apparently, the council is going to go through one of its sham deliberations before anointing him. In response to a query by the Coalition for a Livable City about the council's intentions for tonight's show, outgoing city manager McCarthy responded that, "[o]ver the next month or more the City Council will be meeting periodically in closed session for the purposes of considering the credentials of applicants for City Manager. This will include review of resumes and interviews. Wednesday is the first of those meetings. The City Council is keenly aware of the requirements of the Brown Act, and has received advice from the City Attorney about how to proceed in a manner that respects both the candidates' privacy and the public's interest under the law."

While it's certainly good news that, however belatedly, "[t]he City Council is keenly aware of the requirements of the Brown Act," what possible reason is there for star chamber interviews with the candidates? Privacy? This is the public's business and it should be conducted in public. If a candidate has something that it would be better to keep private, he or she is free not to apply for the job.

It's equally good news that there's more time now to consult the community about the qualifications desired of the next manager. For starters, the council should make public the names and cvs of the manager wannabes. Once the council has narrowed the list down to three or four, a community meeting can be convened where SaMo residents and organizations can evaluate the finalists for themselves and where the council can see how the candidates handle themselves in relation to the natives.