Policy Making vs. Administration. The form-of-government issue is always on the back burner, but it boils over now and then. Most recently in Eugene, it surfaced when Dennis Taylor announced his resignation as city manager.

Critics of the council-manager plan believe that as cities grow and become more diversified they should scrap the council-manager form and adopt a form that produces stronger political leadership and greater responsiveness -- usually the "strong mayor" form as adopted several years ago in Beaverton.

The plan's supporters counter that traditional "economy and efficiency" values exemplified by council-manager government are far from obsolete, and that councils and their managers can provide political leadership and responsiveness as well as strong mayor forms, without the obvious risks involved, if they understand their respective roles as policy makers and administrators.

Ken Tollenaar is Director Emeritus of the UO Bureau of Governmental Research and Service. He has served on Eugene's city council and planning commission, and was a member of the Eugene charter review committee which last considered this issue in 2001. He also served as the City Club's research director in 1993-1995.

Jerry Diethelm coordinated this program.

Former Eugene city councilor David Kelly has agreed to ask the first question.