By Kat Meyer

Assoc. Community News Editor

For the last 85 years, the City of Grand Rapids has had a Council-Manager form of government, but that may all change if Mayor John H. Logie gets backing to make the mayor's position a full time job with added powers, one in which, Logie believes, ``the city would be better served.''

Logie, an attorney at Warner, Norcross and Judd law firm when not acting as Grand Rapids' Mayor at City Hall, is concerned that people may vie for the $35,000-a-year part-time position because (1) it's more money than they have been making, or, at the other end (2) they are independently wealthy, at or near retirement age and living off a pension.

``These are two removed groups of people. The job of Mayor is not open to lots of other people that may be qualified,'' said Logie. ``Among other things, that's not very democratic,'' Logie said in his State of the City Address on Jan. 31.

Logie hopes that making the Mayor's office a full-time position will expand the opportunity to the broadest range of younger and older individuals, ``who could look at the new structure of this government and decide to lay aside a full-time job and devote 100 percent of their efforts on behalf of the citizens of Grand Rapids.''

Logie also wants to strengthen the job of mayor to justify a full-time position and attract ``the best and brightest of Grand Rapids,'' he said.

His proposal maintains the council-manager structure and has also added powers to the mayor, who would normally act as an equal with Commision members, would instead preside at all City Commission meetings, have a vote at Council meetings only in the event of a tie, have veto power that could be overridden by a simple majority of 5 council votes, and also the power to appoint the four officials the Commission now appoints: City Manager, Attorney, Clerk, and Treasurer.

The full time mayor would also initiate the hiring and termination processes, subject to City Commission approval.

Currently the mayor and council work together and the City manager, carrying out the day-to-day affairs of running the city.

Logie's proposal for a Mayor/Manager/Council form of government is not without its critics, however.

Professor Penning of Calvin's Political Science Department wonders whether this proposed hybrid of strong-mayor and council-manager excessively mixes these forms.

``This may either be the best of both worlds or the worst of both worlds -- I'm not sure,'' said Penning. Because the city council is so small, Penning thinks that veto and tie-breaking powers are tremendous.

``We need to remember there is danger in giving too much power to one official if we are to protect the public and the future,'' said Penning, who thinks some limits are necessary.

``Mayor Logie is right that the job has grown over the years, and some structural changes may be necessary,'' said Penning, ``but there needs to be a thorough and lengthy discussion and some talk about other options that may be clearer, more time-tested and less confusing.''

Second Ward Commissioner Lynn Rabaut agrees with Logie that ``a full-time Mayor position can only help enhance our city's ability to thrive.''

``As we grow, so does the need for the mayor to meet with our representatives in Lansing and Washington,'' said Rabaut, identifying that laws that are formed there have a large impact on everything, from zoning laws to tax cut incentives, attract business to the city.

``Facilities like the VanAndel Research Center, the arena and the new art museum don't just fall into our back yard! These issues are attracted to the center city by effective leadership,'' said Rabaut.

Nevertheless, she does not believe the mayor's roles need to officially change: ``As a commissioner, I do not see the role of the mayor changing from where it is today. Many of the proposed duties are already being done by Mayor Logie.''

``I do not understand the need for veto power, so I can not react to that part of the proposal, but the mayor's vote really only counts in the case of a tie as it is now,'' said Rabaut. She concedes that there are some advantages to Mayor Logie's proposal.

``The best part of this proposal is that it recognizes that the City Manager is a needed position and that it should not be an elected position. Running a multi million dollar business, which is what the city is, takes many talents and experience,'' said Rabaut.

Rabaut, like Penning, believes that further discussion needs to take place.

``With some discussion and possible adjustments, I will be very supportive,'' she said. ``We are too big to continue governing with all part-time officials and not big enough to all be full time.''

Logie hopes to work with the City Commission, the City Manager, the City Attorney, and others as necessary to obtain all the approval necessary to place his proposal on the Nov. '02 ballot. It will run as a Charter Ammendment, asking citizens to vote this concept into governance.

Mr. Tully, a partner of Mayor Logie's at WN&J, said, ``Giving attention to governance is an important position, and Mayor Logie has done more and put more time and effort into being mayor -- even though it has only been a part-time position -- than other mayors,'' said Tully.

``It's time to take a look at the possibility of a full-time mayor,'' he said.

Logie's primary concern is the inability for future mayoral candidates to balance a job and the part-time position.

``My motivation is and must be that Mayors in the future will need more structure and a greater opportunity than the present Charter creates,'' he said.

Although he has been able to balance home, work and civic duty, Logie worries that not all qualified potential candidates would be able to run for mayor: ``How many other people here in Grand Rapids, who might be willing to consider public service at the local level, would have such a fortuitous blend of positive circumstances? The need for someone on the job full time is there.''

To get his proposal on the Nov. '02 ballot, Logie must first get five of the seven Commission members to agree to it as a charter amendment or by an initiative petition. Logie said that if this proposal gets on to the Nov. '02 ballot and passes, then, in '03 when Commission seats open, more people can seriously look at the Mayor's job.

``If my proposal is approved by the voters, I expect a much larger field of candidates to run for the office, particularly if I decide not to do so,'' said Logie, who hopes to announce after Thanksgiving whether he will or will not run for a fourth term.

``Were I to be elected on a full-time basis, I would devote the largest block of newly available time to moving forward on the plan I have been promoting for several years for a light rail mass transit system,'' said Logie, anticipating demographic projection for the year 2015 that range as high as 1.31 million people in metro GR.