By SCOTT WILLIS
Guest Column
Editor’s note: On Monday, June 27 the Westfield City Council voted 6-1 not to move from a Class 3 to a Class 2 City. The only vote in favor of moving to Class 2 status came from Scott Willis.
First Point
Indiana’s laws have established options for communities to have proper representation as they grow.
Our city’s current structure was designed to support smaller communities. As our population grows, there are options to ensure proper representation and that oversight responsibilities are structured appropriately to meet the city’s growing needs. By the time we will be able to consider this move again, it’s likely that Westfield’s population will be more than 70,000 – double the maximum population a Third Class City is designed to serve.
To me, this decision wasn’t about current political squabbles or differences – it’s about ensuring proper and responsible governance for decades to come.
The City Council maintains its role as the fiscal body for the city, and residents have more direct representation with both an additional district and at-large councilman. The balance of power is improved as the mayor is no longer the council’s presiding officer and there are two more representatives overseeing the city’s financial wellbeing.
Regardless if an elected Clerk Treasurer or professional Controller is handling the day-to-day financial operations, the council maintains its role as the fiscal body and approves claims and budgets. Moving to a Second Class City would have strengthened the City Council and ensured we have the proper structure as we grow.
There are examples of the benefits of a Second Class City structure all over the state and here in our own backyard. In fact, of the 27 cities in Indiana that qualify, Westfield is one of only two that has not made the move to Second Class. Of the cities who have, none has seen its council lose any oversight or control over its community’s finances. As Westfield continues to grow in population, I feel it is important to provide our residents the proper, full representation outlined in Indiana’s laws.
Second Point
This decision is beyond one person and quite frankly one council. It is about setting up a form of government that will carry the city forward for the next 100 years.
When our state established this system for municipalities, a Class 3 city structure was never meant to support a population of 50,000 – let alone 70,000, which is where we will most likely be by the time we can vote on this again.
This is why of the 27 cities in Indiana qualifying for Class 2, all but Merrillville and Westfield have made the move. There is a roadmap to follow to ensure we do this the right way, and I am confident the city is ready.
Some are concerned that giving the mayor the ability to hire a controller impacts the balances of power. I just don’t see it that way.
First, I doubt our state legislatures would create a system that takes away oversight of municipal finances the more complex it becomes. This defies logic. Second, the City Council still has oversight of the budget and expenditures, and the Department of Local Government Finance will continue to audit annually. Nothing changes. In fact, in a Class 2 city, you would have more oversight with two additional people on council looking at the numbers.
Most importantly, I know the value as a businessman of having a financial expert on staff that can guide the city through the numerous challenges we face as we continue to grow. Our budget has exceeded $100 million, and we need a professional controller moving forward to ensure our city is making the best financial decisions on behalf of the taxpayer.
Scott Willis serves on the Westfield City Council representing District 1.