During Tuesday’s meeting, the Columbus City Council, on the recommendation of Ward 2 councilman Joseph Mickens, voted unanimously to delay hiring a new Chief Operations Officer until July at the earliest.
The decision means the city will likely go at least a month with the position vacant as David Armstrong retires after 15 years in the COO role, effective June 30.
Unless Armstrong agrees to stay on in some capacity, the delay will also mean the new COO will not benefit from being able to consult with him as part of the transition as the annual budget planning begins.
Even so, we believe the council acted wisely in postponing this decision. There are a couple of reasons.
“Marry in haste, repent at leisure,” as novelist David Foster Wallace once observed. Armstrong’s approaching departure should not inhibit the effort for a thorough process. The position is far too important to be constrained by arbitrary time considerations. There are six candidates, including three internal candidates. No matter the choice, a well-qualified selection should be able to navigate the challenges common to any new work environment.
It’s worth noting that Armstrong agrees that it would be better to wait. He’s a pretty good authority on that, given his position.
But the more important reason the decision should be delayed is about the relationship between the new COO and the mayor/city council that person will serve.
When the city council meets in July, there will be at least two new council members and as many as four. There may also be a new mayor, all depending on the outcome of the June 8 municipal election.
If this were any other department head vacancy, filling the position quickly to avoid a lapse in leadership might be a good decision.
But the working relationship between a COO and the mayor and council easily outweighs other considerations, especially at a time when confidence in the city’s financial standing remains a work in progress.
The new COO will need the support of the new city government. Likewise, the council and mayor need a COO they feel they know and trust.
We applaud Mickens’ leadership in the decision to delay the hiring of the new COO as well as the entire council, which recognized the merits of the argument.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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