The city's Proposal 1, whether to elect the mayor by popular vote instead of through a yearly appointment by the city commission, is the top local issue in what is typically an off year for city elections. The snowball began rolling on a cold Monday night last December, when a divided commission broke with tradition and failed to elevate last year's mayor pro tem Margaret Dodd to the mayor's seat. Four of the seven commissioners believed commissioner Linda Smyka was better suited for the job. The decision drew criticism from Dodd's supporters, who said commissioners failed to fully explain their reasoning. Critics say electing the mayor may make the position too influential or political in a city manager-type government.
Supporters say scores of Michigan communities function well with elected mayors.
They also believe that last year's messy mayor controversy only underscores the need for a change. I guess it boils down to, I trust the people here to elect a mayor more than I trust myself and the other commissioners. Selection of the mayor by the city commission goes back six decades to 1940 when city residents, in a close race decided by slightly more than 300 votes, approved a new city charter that installed a city manager government system for the first time. Before then, the city followed the 1913 charter where mayors were popularly elected to two-year terms, and the mayor and the other commissioners were responsible for administration of various city departments. Those duties were turned over to the city manager in 1940 with the adoption of the new charter, and the authority of the mayor and the commissioners was significantly reduced.