1 win: Getting Miryam Gutier on board as a City Council aide on a six-month contract at $8,945 a month.
1 loss: Getting shot down on awarding Marianne Archibald a six-month contract at $9,100 a month as a culture director.
Not a terrible record for Truitt after his very first meeting as mayor.
Now, what teeters on terrible is that Gutier and Archibald supported Truitt and were paid to work on his mayoral campaign. To be fair, newly elected officials always bring their political supporters on board. It happens.
However, Truitt could have been a little more sensitive in his approach, especially given the political climate in Surprise. Sure, it can’t be construed as lining his own pockets, but could it be viewed as lining his friends’?
If those jobs are going to be permanent staff positions, shouldn’t they go through the usual hiring process? If they remain as contracts, shouldn’t there be a bidding process?
And, the idea of giving a City Council aide so much authority — especially when it’s a handpicked position — also raises eyebrows. Truitt wanted Gutier to act as mayor in Truitt’s absence at events? Um, isn’t that the vice mayor’s gig?
Because it is his first meeting — I’ll go easy on him. But the honeymoon period doesn’t last forever.
Topics: PLUGGED IN - WEST VALLEY
posted by
MoAlonzoDunsmoor on Monday, January 7, 2008 at 03:00 PM
MAD blogger, Rumor or reality?
Well, what do you know?
Bill Pupo, former Surprise city manager, just announced that he’s retiring from his post as town manager for Chino Valley at the end of January.
Here’s what the Daily Courier had to say:
Chino Valley Town Manager Bill Pupo will retire from government service effective the end of January, the Daily Courier learned late Friday morning.
Pupo, who has spent a total of 31 years in management positions, including stops in Spokane, Wash., and Surprise, Ariz., announced his decision to the CV Town Council in an executive session late Thursday night.
Now, that raises at least one eyebrow.
For some time, rumors have swirled about Pupo planning a surprise Surprise comeback. Oh, and that Lyn Truitt would be the one to help him. They’ve been floating around even before Truitt was elected mayor.
Could still be a rumor?
You factor in the fact that Surprise is actively searching for a city manager, and it lends some truth to the tales. Now, the Courier report did say that he was retiring from “government service.”
Does that mean all government service? Or just service in Chino Valley?
And it makes you wonder about the two-week city manager search that Surprise is about to embark on. I’m certainly with Republic reporter Erin Zlomek in wondering if this is a done deal.
If it is a done deal, why not just say it? I hope that this allegedly new City Council isn’t playing in the dark.
Loading ...