Shining a spotlight on Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington’s first three months in office, both he and the Mayor of Grand Rapids will co-host an online town hall.
Last July, Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington’s hire by the City Commission ended an exhaustive search for the next leader of the city, as Washington began the transition and move from Austin Texas where had been serving as the Assistant City Manager.
Now 120 days into the job, Washington and Mayor Rosalynn Bliss are inviting the community to join them for a digital town hall, where they plan to provide residents and other community stakeholders with an overview of Washington’s performance so far.
There may be pressure on city officials to justify Washington’s hire.
Critics have pointed to an initial search for a city manager that cost taxpayers $25,000 and ultimately led to city officials starting the search over. When Washington had been chosen after a second search had been conducted, city officials had to defend awarding the new city manager a three year contract with an annual salary of $250,000.
City Manager Washington released this statement in part “I look forward to providing the community with an update on this work and other important efforts we have going on. This is part of my commitment to transparency and engaging the community in our work.”
The online town hall includes an opportunity for viewers to submit questions and have them answered in real-time. The event may be viewed on the City’s Facebook and YouTube. The town hall is set for Wednesday January 30th, from 6-7.