Commentary by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — There is an old saying that I will clean up for you since this is a family publication.

“Do your business, or get off the toilet.”

I have in the past accused this Wellington City Council of being impulsive. Now I’m asking it to be more decisive.

Name an interim city manager, now.

“Interim” is defined as: “in or for the intervening period; provisional or temporary.”

In other words, it isn’t permanent. It gives the council time to find a permanent city manager replacement while someone is in charge.

But since firing Wellington City Manager Roy Eckert, the council has met twice and has not acted in putting someone in charge. Instead, Mayor Shelley Hansel has stated that assistant to the now phantom city manager (find that job title ironic) Jason Newberry is being place in the day-to-day operation. Finance Director Shane Shields will be in charge of finance. But there has been no resolution to document this.

That may be fine and dandy if things run smoothly. But, let’s say, God forbid, a natural disaster strikes Wellington. Who is in charge? Or let’s say the City of Wellington has a major infrastructure catastrophe? Who is in charge? Would the city be liable by not having someone in charge? What about a lawsuit?

And do we really want to advertise ourselves as a community that doesn’t have a city manager, let alone an “interim” city manager?

It’s crazy. It’s dumb.

Put someone in charge now.

The city council showed great courage in its dismissal of Eckert. But the council should have named Newberry or Shields the interim city manager right then and there.

I was willing to give this council the benefit of the doubt because it was an emotional decision that Friday afternoon. I also fully expected the council to come back and name an interim city manager at another called special meeting the following week. No meeting was called. I then thought an interim manager would have been named at the next council meeting especially since there was an executive session, i.e. closed meeting, scheduled.

I was stunned when I heard the council went into a 30-minute executive session last Tuesday only to come out and vote on whether or not to hold another 30 minute executive session which failed by another 3-3 vote with Hansel casting the vote.

Hansel then suggested the dust should settle a bit before moving forward.

“We need to do this is a purposeful and thoughtful way. We want to make the right decisions and we want the public to be proud of that decision.”

Want us to be proud of your decision, Ms. Hansel? Then make one. Hire an interim. Now. You have now to eternity to find a permanent replacement.

Let’s use an analogy. Let’s say Barrack Obama steps down as President of the United States tomorrow. Congress then decides that Vice President Joe Biden would handle all domestic affairs. Secretary of State John Kerry would handle all foreign polices.

You think that would fly?

Partnerships work (sometimes) in entrepreneurial endeavors. But every Fortune 500 company has a CEO even if he/she is an interim.

The City of Wellington needs its CEO… as in yesterday.

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