The State Journal-Register
Certain city employees appointed by the mayor shouldn’t be allowed to serve indefinitely without approval of the Springfield City Council, says one alderman.Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin has requested the city’s top attorney draft an ordinance that would limit interim appointments to six months. He wants the time restriction to apply to positions that require council approval, such as city attorney, fire chief and police chief.
“It opens the door to disregarding the city council when you fail to ratify your appointments,” McMenamin said. “Theoretically, the mayor could make every department director an interim appointment, and the city council would have no say. We have to avoid abuse of the appointment power.”
McMenamin pointed to three employees currently serving in an acting capacity: Acting Police Chief Kenny Winslow, Acting Corporation Counsel John Mehlick and Bob Braasch, administrative services manager at City Water, Light and Power.
Braasch has been doing the job for a year and a half, but he still hasn’t been confirmed by the city council. Braasch was nominated in the midst of a debate over an electric rate hike. There weren’t enough votes on the council to approve his $95,000-a-year hire, with some aldermen arguing that the position wasn’t needed. So Mayor Mike Houston appointed Braasch in an acting capacity and never has gotten the council’s approval.
Winslow was appointed acting police chief at the end of July. He replaced Robert Williams, who announced his plans to retire following an internal affairs file-shredding scandal. He officially retired Oct. 22.
Mehlick, a retired judge who took the city job Aug. 15, might stay on in an acting capacity for a while longer, Houston said. He replaced Mark Cullen, another casualty of the file-shredding controversy.
Houston said the city follows state rules relating to interim appointments.
Aldermen have inquired about setting a limit on such appointments in the past, but nothing has ever happened.
Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 