The Charlotte City Council recently embarked on an in-depth conversation during its yearly retreat, with the intent of blossoming into a ‘highly efficient council’. The goalposts for this bold ambition remain shrouded in ambiguity, specifically given the prevalent perception of the City Council as an already high-functioning entity, particularly with regard to actioning routines.
In the half-dozen years elapsed, Mayor Vi Lyles in conjunction with City Manager Marcus Jones, have effectively engineered a well-oiled machine ensuring the execution of various schemes and facilitating public-private alliances. While consensus on the council board is seldom achieved, their propositions almost invariably get the green light following committee deliberations, and subsequently, the congregated City Council.
Even in instances of significant pushback from council members — a prime illustration being the contentious debate revolving around the allocation of $650 million for refurbishments to the Bank of America Stadium, city personnel commonly contend that a prompt conclusive vote is essential. This particular approach curtails the opportunity for a single council member’s candid skepticism from infecting the rest.
The City Council’s actions can be likened to a professional wrestling match where the results are more or less predicted well before the beginning of the actual event. Yet, the essence of their recent discussions revolved around further streamlining an already efficient process.
During the discourse, prominent was the lament of several council members about their reduced interpersonal communications during the intermittent period between council meetings, alongside an apparent lack of collective efforts to enhance initiatives and policies.
A few council members expressed apprehension that their conventional pre-vote conversations during formal gatherings frequently deviate from the topic at hand, thereby gratuitously consuming valuable time.
DeAlva Arnold, the facilitator of the discussion and holder of high qualifications in leadership and executive coaching, identified the need for increasing mutual trust among council members. Some were hesitant to unanimously agree on cataloguing council discussions as a pre-Monday night activity.
Council member Renee Johnson insinuated the potential perception of the council merely endorsing issues without thorough discussion. She asserted, ‘Public discourse is an absolute necessity. A difference in perspective is no crime. Uniform agreement isn’t our aim.’ Another council member, Victoria Watlington surmised that prolonged discussions likely stemmed from self-promotion, adding that council members largely direct their conversation toward the audience, rather than each other.
The discussions, which often clock several hours, frequently deviate and there have been instances of members grandstanding. But it often seems that council members themselves are oblivious of their authority and the fact that the city manager is their subordinate.
A case in point is the Charlotte Area Transit System’s (CATS) proposal over the past two years for an underground reconstruction of the main bus station to accommodate a new multi-purpose tower. Despite mixed reactions from transit supporters questioning the prudence of investing millions of dollars to reroute bus passengers underground, CATS endorsed the plan.
However, two years down the line, the proposal to construct the tower is grappling with fiscal challenges. There seemed to be tacit signs that relocating the bus station underground might not be the wisest decision. Nevertheless, the idea may resonate with the community, the press may publicize it, and other council members may voice their support.
Currently, the city of Charlotte is focused on altering an existing axiom to raise the bar for the likelihood of approving a sales tax of one cent exclusive to transportation. The proceeds from the tax would fund new streetlights, warranting an added layer of crime prevention. It can be argued that this initiative is inter-linked with transportation.