During a recent Norwich Common Council meeting, a study was provided to overview the city’s governing structure, sharing advantages and disadvantages of the possible changes, and implications of transitioning to a council-manager form of government, creating a city manager position. (Evening Sun file photo)

NORWICH — During a recent Norwich Common Council meeting, a study was provided to overview the city’s governing structure, sharing advantages and disadvantages of the possible changes, and implications of transitioning to a council-manager form of government, creating a city manager position.

The City of Norwich initiated the study as they hope to improve the city’s ability with stronger legislative structure and leadership to continue focusing on city operations. In the study, alderpersons, department heads, and stakeholders were interviewed and all noted and agreed that the issues facing municipalities of today are increasingly complex.

The study evaluates if a full time appointed professional city manager is essential to achieve the desired outcome in assisting the city as it faces complex community challenges with projects such as managing large infrastructure and re-development and coping with higher expectations of accountability, efficiency and transparency.

According to city elected and appointed officials, there are current challenges and frustrations impacting the city’s ability to achieve its desired outcomes. A few of those concerns are with the part-time, two year term for executive leadership, inconsistent leadership skills and professional management, absence of a city-wide vision, limitations of shared executive functions, diluted capacity to set policy direction, the lack to identify and coordinate initiatives to research, develop and implement, and more.