Final Council Vote On City Administrator Tonight

The Cheyenne City Council is slated to give third and final consideration on a proposal to hold a special election on creating an appointed city administrator position tonight.

The proposal comes up on third and final reading tonight after two previous readings before the council. If the council approves the measure it would go before voters in a November special election.

If a majority vote in favor of the proposal in the election it would take effect in January of 2017.

Supporters of the proposal, such as Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dale Steenbergen, say having an appointed administrator make most day to day government decisions would increase government efficiency and offer the opportunity to cut what they say is a bloated city workforce and budget. Some supporters say overregulation of business is hurting economic development in the city, and that an administrator could fix that.

Supporters also say an administrator would "take the politics" out of city decision making.

Opponents of the proposal, such as Boyd Wiggam of the Wyoming Liberty Group, say an appointed administrator would remove the voice of the people, since the administrator, unlike the mayor, could not be directly voted out of office. Wiggam also recently said the proposal would likely lead to bigger city government, rather than smaller, as supporters argue.

Some opponents also say the proposal is really an attempt by the Chamber of Commerce and/or the city council to take over the city government by taking away most of the powers of an elected mayor and transferring them to an appointed official who would answer to the city council, but not the voters.

The council meets tonight at 6 p.m. in city council chambers.