THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 25, 1995 TAG: 9506230184
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Wayne Orton's decision to retire as city manager at the end of this month comes at a strange time.
As Orton is fond of saying, the city is poised at this moment to move ahead. Many good things have happened in the past year and many citizens are working hard right now to turn Vision 2005 into a reality.
In fact, Orton has pressed forward on many of the positive projects in the face of opposition from one quarter or another. He's taken a lot of flak about the ``Vision thing,'' a plan for community and economic development that has more promise for this old city than anything else in recent years. He pressed to be sure the Children's Museum of Virginia was opened and he enabled other projects such as the TCC Visual Arts Center.
A lot of people don't understand the positive impact of any of these projects and tend to criticize Orton because they don't know who else to blame. If he has to take the blame, then he also deserves the credit when things work out. And all of these things seem to be working out.
By the same token, there are many things he has done that perhaps could have been better done. But that would be true of anyone in that position.
Although he has made no secret of his intentions to retire early, Orton's departure at this time throws another important decision at a City Council that already has a full plate.
Unfortunately, council members right now do not appear to have their act together on anything - much less the hiring of the city's most important employee.
In addition to the city manager's position being open, council also has yet to resolve the question of who will be city attorney, a job now filled on an acting basis by George Willson.
Naturally, rumors are wild on the streets about the future and the hiring of people for those two crucial positions. Some citizens have said they would like to bring back some former city employees mentioning specific names for both jobs. Some would like a manager named from inside. Others want to go outside.
Portsmouth does not need to go backward in any way, not even in hiring people who may have worked for the city previously.
Perhaps, at this time, the most appropriate action would be to name an acting city manager to join the acting city attorney and go outside the city to find candidates for both jobs. Willson is quite competent as attorney and Orton's assistant and deputy managers all are knowledgeable people but, considering the seeming lack of unity on the council, persons with no past history in Portsmouth probably could better service all citizens.
Council must be very careful in hiring people for these two jobs if the city is going to continue the momentum under way. It must find an independent, enthusiastic and visionary city manager. It must find a city attorney who not only is a good lawyer but also is an ethical person with no local political ties.
The next six months or more are going to be tough ones for council, city employees and all citizens of Portsmouth. If Vision 2005 is going to move along at a pace that will pay off, many serious decisions will have to be made. Orton at least had the knowledge of what should and could be done to prod the plan.
His departure not only leaves council to pick a successor, a job they should take very seriously. It also puts them totally in the driver's seat on many important projects and they need to prove themselves leaders - not just politicians - when these matters come up. by CNB