CH's personnel and finance problems are concerning

If there are any two subjects of crucial importance in governing the city of Cleveland Heights, they would be personnel and finance. Mayor Seren has shown poor skills at delegating the management of either.

Put aside for the moment the loss of not one, but two city administrators. Forget about the loss of a finance director and the need for a temporary acting finance director. Now the city is faced with the loss of that temporary director and the mayor’s desire to install a second “temporary” finance director.

As the Sun Press recently observed, any new finance director, temporary or otherwise, will need some time to get brought up to speed. The resulting instability already has caused chaos in the preparation of the municipal budget.

That budget is necessary to determine the level of vital services, such as police, fire, garbage collection, snow and leaf removal, and park maintenance. It will determine the operation of the Building and Planning departments and even of the municipal court.

The delay in budgeting is preventing necessary purchases of police vehicles and a new fire truck. It is hindering a considerable amount of capital spending, such as $38 million in American Rescue Plan Act fund allocation.

What seems at first to be only a personnel matter has become critically important to the very operation of municipal government.

Mayor Seren has given no reason why Acting Finance Director Tara Schuster has left, nor has he been candid about other losses of personnel.

One can speculate. City Administrator Danny Williams hinted he was leaving in part because of differences of style with the mayor. Maybe other key employees are leaving for similar reasons. Or maybe they are leaving for greener pastures. Hopefully, they are not leaving what they feel is a sinking ship or a ship headed for an iceberg.

Mayor Seren’s prior role in government was writing memos. He did not handle personnel and budget matters. He now has nominated a new city administrator with excellent credentials. But will he be able to guide this new city administrator and cooperate with CH City Council?

Hopefully, Mayor Seren will learn to play better with others than he has in the past. Otherwise, if he does seek re-election, he may have a lot to explain.