PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) – Plattsburgh’s Common Council won’t be voting on a city manager recommendation next month after some members have expressed concerns over the drawn-out process
“There is no opportunity for feedback, there is no public engagement. That is not good government,” said Common Council member Elizabeth Gibbs, Ward 3.
Voters rejected the city manager referendum in 2016 but it was given new life back in December after Mayor Chris Rosenquest formed an advisory committee to bring forward a new proposal.
Gibbs on Monday criticized the process, arguing a charter commission should have been formed to allow for ongoing public input rather than the advisory group. “I do support exploring a city manager with a reduced mayor model. I do not agree with the process. I made that very, very clear. The process for me is the problem,” she said.
Rosenquest is among those asking why Gibbs didn’t raise her concerns earlier. “Unfortunately, you know, considering we are now seven months into this process, hearing those concerns earlier on would have helped mitigate them, but it is now something we have become accustomed to,” the mayor said.
But Gibbs says she did inquire about the committee’s progress back in March. “I asked for some kind of update. I asked for information. I asked for something. Nothing was provided,” she said, adding that they should establish a charter commission.
Rosenquest says they will and will take the next several months to set it up. “We will look to find members of the community, people who are interested in participating on this type of commission and we will create the commission based on municipal home-rule and then we will follow that process as defined by law,” he said.