elpasospeak

Last Sunday (December 16, 2012) El Paso, Inc. published a public statement recently made by the city manager.

I don’t know whether to take it as an apology or as a promise to do better.  I hope that it is both but fear that it might be another exercise in misdirection and self justification.

Let me re-print the message as it was printed in the El Paso, Inc. and intersperse some of my thoughts in blue with the hope that the city manager will take them to heart.

I want to thank the mayor and City Council for their continuing vote of confidence and support.  I realize that the controversy surrounding the public release of volumes of emails has created an unfortunate distraction from the important work of the city and a regrettable conflict in relationships between myself and some members of City Council,  (The controversy did not cause the conflict.  You did.  You were wrong when you thought  it was your place to judge your bosses as having dementia.  You were wrong when you committed your thoughts to a written note to someone else.)  and the potential to permanently tarnish my career as city manager (your job, which is not a career, has been tarnished by this and other actions).

I once again want to publicly apologize for my role (not your role, you were not part of the problem, you and you alone  caused the problem) in causing this situation.  I am committed to doing my very best to rebuild those damaged relationships with the City Council and community (I hope that you will learn to put your obligations to the community first.) and to ensure that this conflict doesn’t adversely impact the community’s overall confidence in its city government (face it, it has) and the council/manager form of government in particular.

Even though all our actions surrounding the development of the ballpark project and related agreements were undertaken with only the community’s best interest at heart (thank you for your intent, but please understand that the community gets to decide what is in it’s best interest, not a city employee), the conflict surrounding these decisions did devolve into an erosion of civil discourse (it was not an “erosion” just because the discourse ran contrary to your actions) over a very important and transformative initiave, and I want to do my part to prevent a future reoccurence of same.

Of the many important lessons recently learned, all citizens are entitled to be heard and treated with respect as are all elected officials regardless of their respective positions on issues (I would have hoped that you knew this before taking the job.  The fact that you are just now learning it speaks volumes about your prior actions).  Process and relationships are equally important as results.  I am not the first person to make statements they regretted or which they could take back (Are you trying to say that since other people have made mistakes  that you are less accountable for yours?), or to not fully appreciate the impact of technology on communications (don’t you really mean that you did not realize the Public Information Act would allow someone to catch you?) and casual (casual?  It is not your place to gossip about and denegrate the people that you work for.) chatter.  I am not perfect, even though I recognize that I must be held to a higher standard because of the office I hold (If you had said “I am not perfect and I recognize…”  this would not have sounded like an excuse–are you saying “poor me, I have to be held to a higher standard”).

However, regardless of my personal failings (What are you saying here–you still think they are demented?), the public needs (deserves, not needs–you don’t get to decide what we need to do) to retain its confidence in the organization and leadership and know that this community and organization has been my passion and devotion (I thank you for that but would like to point out that your passions do not entitle you act differently from our will.) since taking office in 2004.

I am deeply saddened to have created a situation which compromised the city government reputation and for letting the mayor and council, the community and my staff down (good, but remember that the members of the community should come first in your thoughts).

2013 will be a year of significant change.  I am committed to providing appropriate stewardship and leadership (I just wish you knew what was appropriate.) going forward to ensure a smooth relocation of City Hall with minimal disruption in customer service, good oversight of the ballpark construction project, a seamless transition of a new mayor and council in June 2013 (What do you have to do with that?  Do you intend to tell us who to vote for?  I hope that you meant to say that you would do what you could to support the new officials.) , which is only six months away, and then a thorough process to recruit my successor (Please stop right there–you should have nothing to do with picking your successor other than answering those questions that the selection group poses.) so there will be no major upheaval or loss of continuity for the future (Who are you to decide about continuity?  Maybe the voters  want an upheaval.)

We also need to successfully launch the quality of life bond initiatives.  The community gave us a huge vote of confidence (That is presumptuous.  Some of us voted for the facilities despite our current government.) on election night and we need to make sure that this present conflict doesn’t undermine this extraordinary movement in El Paso’s history (How are you going to do that?  Silence the opposition?  I suggest that you administer our affairs in a professional manner).

I would like to again reaffirm my gratitude to the mayor and council for your continued support, and in particular to the mayor for the manner in which he constructively handled  (By prohibiting public comment from an elected official?) this situation and review.  Thank you.

Time will tell.  It is not too late for the city manager to start running an open, transparent government that responds to the will of the people.

The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.