Suburbs

I try to avoid writing about the same subject on consecutive weeks of Suburban Spotlight. There are six Shelby County suburbs and North Mississippi that encompass our coverage, so there are plenty of stories without repeating.

I also said last week that the Germantown mayor’s race was going to be interesting. And it already is living up to that prediction.

Incumbent mayor Mike Palazzolo announced months ago that he would seek reelection. Alderman Tony Salvaggio added his name as a challenger for the office last week.

But before Germantown residents choose the mayor, they have to make another choice — whether the elected position is going to be a full-time job, compared to its current part-time arrangement.

About the time that Salvaggio — who owns two businesses — was about to announce his intention, the city added to the website that if someone becomes the full-time mayor, they aren’t allowed to have another full-time job.

“The City Charter would be amended requiring the Mayor to devote full-time attention to the duties of the office and prohibit other full-time employment while serving,” according to the city’s website.

In a lot of ways it makes sense, right? If the mayor’s job is full-time, it is kind of difficult to be full-time in two spots.

It’s the old biblical adage of a person not being able to serve two masters. In this case, it is not money and God; it’s private business vs. the public.

But abandoning the private sector full-time job is not spelled out in the referendum. And it wasn’t part of the language when the Legislature allowed for the referendum. So, while it may have been understood, and it may have been discussed, that requirement is not a requirement of becoming Germantown’s full-time mayor.

City Administrator Jason Huisman told reporter Abigail Warren the interpretation is based on numerous work sessions the Board of Mayor and Aldermen had about the full-time mayor.

“The spirit of the referendum is you would not be employed somewhere else on a full-time basis,” Huisman told Warren.

In some ways, this seems like putting the cart before the horse.

If the referendum passes in May, making the mayor full time, that would lead to a charter change. And the details and requirements for the job will be specified in those discussions by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Such as the definition of “full time”.

By making the intention clear now, maybe it helps voters decide on the referendum. Whether voters want a mayor dedicated exclusively to running the city or leaving the position part-time where people can hold the office, and still have their jobs.

Leaving the daily operation of the city under the guidance of a city administrator. - Suburbs editor, Clay Bailey

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