Crum Resigns As City Manager, Takes Illinois Job ‘Strong Mayor’ Petition Drive Leaves Council In A Quandary

Spokane City Manager Roger Crum gave one month’s notice Tuesday that he is resigning to become city manager of Evanston, Ill.

Crum’s resignation, while expected, leaves the city in the lurch.

A proposal to restructure city government would eliminate the manager’s job - in fact, that’s one reason Crum is leaving. But proponents have not yet submitted petitions to put their “strong mayor” proposal on the ballot.

Until that issue is settled, City Council members say, they’ll have a tough time attracting qualified applicants and may appoint an interim manager.

Some council members said they may not wait for petitions to call for a vote on the issue. The council agreed to discuss the matter June 6 - the same day it was scheduled to complete Crum’s evaluation and decide whether to renew his contract.

“We’ve got to set a course here, what the heck we’re going to do,” said Councilman Orville Barnes.

Councilwoman Roberta Greene said that even without Crum’s departure, it would be better for voters to decide the strong-mayor issue this year rather than next, when there will be elections for mayor and three council seats.

In a restructured government, council members would be elected by district rather than citywide. So, anyone who won election under the current system would have to run again if the proposition passes, said Greene.

“Why would you run and who would support you? To me, it would almost invalidate the entire council election process,” she said.

Councilman Jeff Colliton said the council will go ahead with its review of Crum’s work because it includes an evaluation of what the city needs in a manager. The city is paying a consultant $5,000 to help with that work.

“It (the review) is not moot,” Colliton said.

Council members have known since September that Crum was looking to leave. He was a finalist for city manager positions in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Dayton, Ohio.

Evanston, a Chicago suburb and home of Northwestern University, has 73,000 residents - less than half the population of Spokane. But Crum will get a $10,000 raise, boosting his annual salary to $105,000.

“It’s a change in pace. They made me a good offer,” said Crum, 57, when asked his reasons for leaving.

But Crum said he’s leaving primarily to escape the uncertainty of the job here. Not only is the strong-mayor proposal on the horizon, but voters also rejected city-county consolidation last year - another idea that would have eliminated the city manager.

“There’s a lot of regret” about leaving, said Crum, who is married and has two grown daughters. “This has been our home for 22 years. It’s not an easy move to make at this stage in our lives.”

Hired in 1977 as management assistant to City Manager Sylvin Fulwiler, Crum became deputy manager under Terry Novak in 1980. He was appointed manager when Novak resigned in 1991.

As the man assigned to carry out City Council policies, Crum takes a good deal of flak from critics of city government. He often is maligned on talk radio and in newspaper letters to the editor.

Detractors say Crum isn’t assertive enough. Supporters, including many of his underlings, say Crum is deliberative and a whiz with budgets and numbers.

City Parks Director Ange Taylor, who was hired by Crum five weeks ago, said he is saddened by his boss’s departure. But city departments are well-prepared for the loss, he said.

“All of us are professionals and have the ability to do our jobs and do them well,” Taylor said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo