Despite what you may have read recently, Gunnison City hired its first city manager in January of 1992. His name was Ray Limb. He was selected from a wide range of candidates and voted on by the city council after a lot of discussion and collaboration. Ray built a home and raised his family in Gunnison. He served as city manager for nine years.
Unfortunately, there came a time when a difficult decision had to be made. The mayor and council worked hand-in-hand discussing budget issues, and every member knew what funds came into the city and where they were being spent. Because of this transparency, after a few years it was felt by the council that it would use funds allocated for a manager elsewhere to better serve the community.
None of this is to say that having a city manager is a bad idea, we are all hoping for a different outcome than the last time the city tried this experiment. As the mayor and council are elected positions, while the manager is not, it is ultimately the council who needs to be on the hook and report back to the public on all items, including the finer workings of where and how money is being spent. Putting all of that trust in a non-elected official takes away the voice the public should have during an election.
Steven Buchanan
Former Gunnison City Mayor
