Recent articles in the Reporter indicate all is not well with our Black Diamond city government. The issues involving our newly elected mayor and our newly appointed city administrator are disturbing if all that appeared in the paper is true. Obvious questions arise about how the city is carrying out its business. A quote by a council member that the city is “hemorrhaging money” is very serious. How is taxpayer money being used? Apparently a number of attorneys and consultants have been hired to help the council and administration work out their problems. Is this a responsible way to use the city’s limited funds?

How is the city staff holding up under these conditions? The way it appears, many of them may be looking for work elsewhere. Can they be blamed? Staff morale in any properly functioning organization is worth a lot. With what appears to be going on with their leaders, how can city employees carry out their work effectively?

In this day and age, if what is described in the Reporter is accurate, the mayor should understand his behavior is way out of line. It is difficult to see how the mayor and newly appointed administrator can possibly work together. Given the fact the last city administrator was fired during the first few days of the mayor’s term, one would wonder if this is a pattern in his working relationships with employees.

In the meantime, the work of the city needs to be carried out. The staff is there, at least for a while. They are professionals.

George McPherson,

Black Diamond