City council hears potential impacts of Prop. 1

Washougal City Administrator David Scott presented a transition plan during last night’s City Council meeting, in the event that Proposition 1 is approved.

The measure would change the form of government, from mayor-council with a city administrator to council-manager.

If the proposition is approved by voters in the Nov. 5 General Election, Mayor Sean Guard would become an eighth council member for the remainder of his current term through Dec. 31 and the results of the mayoral race with Earl Scott would become moot.

The council would appoint a mayor and mayor pro tem for the remainder of this year until appointments for 2014 are made.

Scott, who had conversations with the Municipal Research and Services Center, said city council members would designate an administrative officer to perform the duties of interim manager, pending the selection and appointment of a manager.

MRSC is a private, non-profit organization that supports local governments in Washington.

The election results are expected to be certified Nov. 26.

With a council-manager plan, a city manager appoints and directs the department heads. A city manager can be removed by a majority vote of the council.

With a council-manager system, a mayor is selected from among the city council members. That person presides at council meetings and is head of the city for ceremonial purposes, but has no regular administrative duties.