Residents can weigh in on possible governance change in City of Madison

MADISON, Ala. (WAFF) - Madison City leaders want their community to weigh in this week on the possible change of government style.

In January, the city’s Governance Transition Committee unanimously decided to recommend a city council/city manager-style government. Madison has had a mayor/city council governance for 34 years.

The City of Madison is holding a series of community meetings including Monday at noon.

City leaders already have support from the Madison Forward group. The style is believed to be the best for a fast-growing city like Madison.

Madison Mayor Paul Finley agrees. He explains that the city manager would take on the responsibilities of the city administrator, which means managing day-to-day and personnel operations. That position serves at the pleasure of the city council rather than the mayor. That means they would also serve for a longer time because they’re not tied to the mayor’s term. Madison Mayor Paul Finley says this would really bring more stability to the city government. He says with the city growing so fast they would be able to carry out long-range projects that need to be completed.

Madison Forward has been canvassing the city asking people to sign a petition to bring in a City Manager. The group says if there are enough signatures and each one is verified, the mayor can call a special election to vote to change the governance.

They say they will be at the city’s community meeting on July 11. Mayor Finley and Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, who runs a city council/city manager-style governance, will answer questions and describe what the city council/city manager-style government means to the people of Madison.

The meeting is at 12 p.m. at the Madison Public Library.

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