Mayor Tyrone Garner today rejected a request from the Unified Government commissioners to start a national search for a permanent UG administrator.
At a special meeting at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, UG commissioners made individual statements supporting a search for a permanent UG administrator. The commissioner statements were in favor of a search for a permanent administrator. There was widespread commission support for the national search.
Currently, the UG has an interim administrator, Cheryl Harrison-Lee.
Mayor Garner responded to the commission by quoting the UG charter ordinance, Section 2-61: “Neither the commission nor any of its individual members shall in any manner direct, supervise or require the appointment, promotion, transfer, assignment, demotion, discipline, suspension, discharge or removal of any officers or employee that the mayor, county administrator or any of their subordinates are empowered to appoint.”
The mayor appoints and dismisses the county administrator, according to the charter ordinance, “with the consent of the unified board of commissioners.”
After making a statement, the mayor adjourned the meeting and left, without further discussion.
In his statement, Mayor Garner said, “I stand firmly in alignment with our administrator.”
He said that Harrison-Lee has been the interim administrator barely four months. She is doing an assessment and audit of the UG, he said. He said they needed to give her time to do the work that needs to get done.
Mayor Garner said the community had sent a clear message at the last election that they want change.
“Change is here, and it’s not going away,” he said. “I’m not here to play politics as usual, and I won’t.
“I feel really bad for Ms. Harrison-Lee, having to endure a commission that is coming forward and saying do a national search, when she hasn’t even been here for the duration of her contract,” Mayor Garner said.
He said it was imperative for the mayor and commission to support her in her work. He said he’s not prepared to have the discussion on the national search until he’s ready. If they need to have a discussion later about a national search, he said he would let them know.
Mayor Garner said survey results and discussions with residents have not suggested having a national search, but have suggested that the UG lower taxes, address the PILOT fee and improve the quality of life for residents.
“I feel ashamed that we are even having this conversation. I ask that we come together and work on the issues that are important to Wyandotte County. It’s not about me, it never has been and never will be,” the mayor said before adjourning the meeting and leaving.
“There are questions,” Commissioner Mike Kane said.
The commissioners had given their statements earlier in the meeting.
Commissioner Angela Markley said at the time of Harrison-Lee’s appointment, several commissioners expressed an opinion that there should be a national search for a permanent administrator.
She requested an executive search firm to post the job immediately, no later than 30 days, with a timeline process in place in 45 days. Finalists would be identified and interviewed, and the process used could be similar to the same process the UG used to screen the police and fire chief, she said. The commission should receive updates on the process at least once a month until a permanent administrator is appointed, she said.
Commissioner Melissa Bynum agreed.
“I think the job of county administrator is of utmost importance within our entire community,” she said.
She said she didn’t know how they could identify that they have the very best candidate who can do that work unless they post the job nationwide, conduct a search, conduct interviews and select a candidate who they think is best from all who might apply. The UG did similar nationwide searches for the police and fire chief, as well as for the former UG administrator.
Commissioner Christian Ramirez agreed with the nationwide search. The past administrator was able to maintain some stability through a very unstable time during the COVID pandemic, he said. It is important to continue to strive for that stability, he said.
Commissioner Brian McKiernan agreed with the national search and said it is consistent with best practices to begin the process of a search for a permanent administrator at this time.
Commissioner Mike Kane agreed and recalled interviewing multiple candidates before Doug Bach, former administrator, was named. The commission, staff and mayor along with the community were involved in the process, he said.
Commissioner Gayle Townsend concurred with the others, and said it is not anything against Harrison-Lee that she supported a national search.
“I believe this is a best practice procedure issue,” Commissioner Townsend said. She said Harrison-Lee could apply for the full-time position. It serves the community, mayor and commission best if they follow the procedure that was done five or six years ago, she said. There was a lot of community engagement in the process then, she said.
Commissioner Harold Johnson said he was very pleased with the application from Harrison-Lee, and at the time they did not look at other candidates. Although he is very impressed with her, as a matter of best practices, they should look at more candidates for the permanent position, he said. It is something he has supported since day one, he said.
Commissioner Tom Burroughs asked for a time frame to take on the national search, and asked if it would be through licensed administrator organizations.
Commissioner Markley said the nationwide search firm would perform that process and would know where to post the nationwide search. She noted that in the police chief search, a series of workshops was put together to help evaluate candidates.
Commissioner Chuck Stites concurred with the national search, saying it’s the right thing to do to be transparent and open to all possible candidates. He thought Harrison-Lee should apply, and that candidates should be vetted to find the best possible one.
Commissioner Andrew Davis said he agreed with Commissioner Markley’s statement and he wanted the community to have a voice on who the permanent county administrator is. He said he wanted time to be able to talk with his constituents about what they see, what they feel and what they’re experiencing in their neighborhoods. He wanted the people of Wyandotte County to feel they were part of the process, he said. He added he hoped the selection of the permanent county administrator would be people-centered.
The special meeting is on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43arLFKQUw4.