Long ago, I was involved with the launch of the village manager form of government and the VMA (Village Manager Association). Reading in Wednesday Journal about the desire of President Abu-Taleb to become mayor, I am reminded that in those dim days of the past, we believed that a part-time president heading up a part-time board that oversaw a full-time, highly-capable and professional village manager was the proper organization for Oak Park’s village government.
Perhaps times and circumstances have changed so as to require a different organization. But I doubt it. Perhaps some Oak Parkers now believe that a full-time mayor, with his/her own staff should run the village, turning the village manager into just an administrative assistant for the mayor. That’s not how the office of village president was envisioned. The president would be the board leader. The entire board would act much like a corporate board overseeing professional staff. The board members would work hard but would not need to be full time. In fact, we wanted a president and a board who were not full-time politicians, men and women who had a broader perspective.
Evidently Mr. Abu-Taleb has a different conception of his role.
I think he is wrong.
Bob Follett
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
