Criticized for efficiency

I have worked in state-level government, so when I read, “City sought good manager (Aug. 9),” I cringed. Not because I felt a poor hire was made, but because once again a government employee was being unduly targeted.

Perhaps the number one criticism of government is that it is inefficient. So Jan Quintrall, rather than spending time creating a rubric or childish “five-star” system, efficiently went about hiring someone. She aggregated resumes, conducted interviews, narrowed down the candidate pool and a committee unanimously chose Kyle Twohig, whom the Spokane City Council confirmed.

Unless somewhere in R.C.W. or the Municipal Code, Quintrall is required to have a checklist, she should be applauded for getting work done efficiently.

But instead it’s being suggested cronyism took place, and that something is being hidden in a public records request.

As long as hard-working public employees are attacked under the guise of “protecting taxpayers” and “the public has a right to know,” horrible inefficiencies will remain. Because instead of doing what they are hired to do, they will waste time creating arbitrary systems to show how they do it, just to satisfy reporters.

Drew Repp

Spokane