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By William H. “Bill” Carstarphen
Special to the News & Record

Is professional local government management under attack in Guilford County?

From a distance it appears so.

The Guilford County commissioners have all but destroyed the integrity of the county manager position, and the Greensboro City Council may be headed in that direction. High Point city government appears, for the moment, to be an exception.

Why is this of concern? Someone once said, “Over forms of government let fools contest; whatever governs best is best!”

There is truth to this. The overwhelming evidence of history and experience in American municipal and county government supports the “council-manager plan” as the best way to insure the honest, ethical and equitable delivery of services. Until recently, Guilford County and the city of Greensboro would have been held up as outstanding examples of that evidence.

North Carolina is unique among states in that all 100 counties and all municipalities with populations of more than 10,000 operate under the plan. Local government in North Carolina enjoys both the image and reality of good, clean and efficient professional management and, in addition, “AAA” financial stability.

It is with good reason that the UNC School Of Government and other distinguished institutions point to Guilford and Greensboro and to the honored names of former Greensboro City Manager “General” Townsend and Guilford County Manager Harry Weatherly when citing outstanding municipal management leaders. Honesty, integrity, efficiency, employment based on skill and merit and financial responsibility are the hallmarks of most city and county managers.

In today’s challenging environment, there is an even greater need for technical competence in the management of local governments and the delivery of services. Today’s elected council and commission members can better fulfill their legislative and policy-making roles by delegating day-to-day management to an appointed professional executive.

The council-manager model gives elected officials time to focus on the policy issues. It empowers elected officials to provide leadership; develop a vision for the community; determine what services to provide; lobby state and national legislatures on the community’s behalf; and communicate and forge relationships with constituents.

Managers work in partnership with elected officials to develop sound approaches to local issues. They bring a communitywide perspective to policy discussions. They promote ethical government through a commitment to a set of ethical standards that goes beyond those required by law. They encourage inclusion and consensus-building. They promote equity and fairness in services. Even more critically, professional managers develop and sustain organizational excellence and promote innovation.

Often — and this appears to be increasingly the case in Guilford County if not Greensboro —  the city or county manager is the “fire wall” between well-meaning but often shortsighted and politically driven elected officials and the employees of the organization on whom citizens depend for service.

A city or county manager usually gets dismissed when he or she has lost the confidence of a majority of the governing body. This is as it should be. The important question is what is the real cause of this loss of confidence? Is it a legitimate lack of competence on the part of the manager? If so, the elected officials’ decision to terminate must be respected as an important part of democratic local government.

If, on the other hand, the decision is a result of petty politics or the ill-conceived (even if well-intended) involvement of politicians in  management and personnel issues that are at the heart of good local government, such action must not be tolerated by a community that expects good government.

How should the community respond and who should lead that response?

This difficult question cannot be answered by an outsider. Who leads Guilford County and Greensboro today? Perhaps the events and challenging environment of the past half-decade call on the community to redefine community leadership. If ever there was a need, this is certainly an example.

 The Guilford-Greensboro community has a great deal to lose if it does not react quickly to defend and sustain its historic commitment to professional local government management. Action Greensboro, the Greensboro Jaycees, the university community and the Center for Creative Leadership all could help. Will they?

 The City Council’s appointment of Bob Morgan as interim manager and the consideration given Mitch Johnson in his severance is encouraging. Morgan is a professional just as is Johnson. Also encouraging is the decision to use an executive search firm to recruit and help select the next manager.

A few additional elements are essential:

l The community must send the council and the commissioners a clear and strong signal of support for professionally managed local government.

l The council and commissioners must focus on the long-term needs of the community, not immediate, personal political issues.

l Everyone should refocus and recommit to the historic local government values of this community: strategic vision, competent and honest management, fiscal responsibility and elected representatives who focus their energy on goals and policy and allow, even encourage, city and county managers to manage and direct the organization.

It is high time for the political leaders of Greensboro and Guilford County to recall the values and commitments highlighted by the Athenian Oath:

“We will never bring disgrace on this our City by an act of dishonesty or cowardice.

“We will fight for the ideals and Sacred Things of the City both alone and with many.

“We will revere and obey the City’s laws, and will do our best to incite a like reverence and respect in those above us who are prone to annul them or set them at naught.

“We will strive increasingly to quicken the public’s sense of civic duty.

“Thus in all these ways we will transmit this City, not only not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.”

Many individuals who care a great deal about Guilford County, Greensboro and the quality of local government in North Carolina are watching with concern and sympathy. I count myself among them.

William H. “Bill” Carstarphen is a former Greensboro city manager who now lives in  Charlotte.