The Newark City Manager has requested a rare Saturday meeting to discuss the city’s governmental structure.
Carol Houck has submitted a written request for a special meeting outside council chambers.
According to a city statement, the meeting will be held on Saturday, June 21, 2014, at 8:00 a.m. at the Newark Country Club, 300 West Main Street “for the purpose of a Council-staff event to open the lines of communication, discuss the Council-Manager form of government utilized by the city, and clarify the roles of both council individually and collectively and the management staff.”
The council-manager form of government is common in many small and mid-sized cities and has functioned relatively smoothly up until the recent dispute over zoning for The Data Centers project on the University of Delaware campus, and a proposed rezoning of a shopping center site for a proposed Wawa store and gas station.
Residents Against the Newark Power Plant have filled council chambers and launched legal actions against the city. Often, Houck and other city officials has been under fire, from the group and other city hall critics for not disclosing information and other alleged offenses. A few council members have also questioned decisions made by city staff.
Last year, long-time Mayor Vance Funk resigned, citing the tone and tactics of opponents of the Wawa site.
The Delaware Way Blog, an outspoken opponent of the Data Centers project, noted that the council had planned a retreat for the 21st, but did not inform the public far enough in advance. The blog entry quoted Jen Wallace, who heads Residents Against the Newark Power Plant, as saying the retreat was evidence of the council and staff hiding its activities from the public and allow staff to make decisions.
(Editor’s note: The author covered City Council meetings for two years as Editor of the Newark Post)
