Yountville Town Council could rebuild community trust

Dear Editor,

The British idiom, “to have a think,” is a timely reminder for all Yountville residents, including our Town Council. Selecting a new town manager is at the forefront of the council’s current agenda. There is good reason for pause and reflection, both regarding next town manager (TM) and the responsibility of an outgoing Town Council (TC), as the four-year terms of two TC members and the mayor expire this year.

You may recall we learned the details of the Yountville Commons project on February 17, including its $91 million price tag, and its planned go/no-go decision in two or three months. The haste in which this project unfolded need not be repeated with a hurried TM selection.

The TM search should be suspended until the new, post-election council is seated in December.

Following tumultuous months that saw the town’s premier Yountville Commons project halted by a referendum, the town currently faces twin high-profile issues related to the use of the town-purchased Commons property, and the state-wide mandate for affordable housing. Success with these, and other issues, will require cohesive, accountable and transparent leadership from the TC. Because these are longer-term issues, the new TC will be the decision makers going forward. They therefore should determine the TM with whom they will work.

With an experienced interim TM in place, the ongoing search is underway for the permanent hire and is scheduled to close for applications July 24. The TM is the key linkage between the council and town stakeholders, including town and Veteran’s Home residents, business and commercial interests, and those who work here.

The success of organizational governance, whether in the private or public sector, is a clear vision and alignment of executives and key operational staff. In the town’s case, this is the TC and the TM. Alignment of vision and operation, theory and practice, can only be assured when the executive team and top staff have developed this together. However, while the current TC has three of five positions up for election, it is they who are leading the TM search and intend to make the final decision that the next TC must live with. This timing is far from ideal and not standard practice. This haste is not necessary.

The incoming TC will be seated in December. The TM search should be delayed until the new council takes over responsibility for town governance.

The current TC has an opportunity to assimilate the lessons of the Common’s project to date and place the town’s best long-term interests above all else. Yountville will not lose by postponing the TM hire; rather it stands to gain by pausing the search and allowing the new council to consider, vet and decide on the TM with whom they will work.

To the current TC: have a think, demonstrate leadership, lower the “temperature” in town and pause the TM hiring.

If you agree in pausing the town manager position the newly elected town council is seated, please email us the following text with your typed signature or e-signature. A petition containing the names and address of signatories will be presented to the Yountville Town Council.

_____[enter name(s)]________residing at____[enter address]____support the Town Council’s halting the search for the next Town Manager position until the newly elected Town Council is seated in December 2026.

[email protected] and [email protected]

Stephen Becker
Yountville