Portland won’t hire new city manager until after November election

Portland won’t hire a new city manager until after the November election.

That’s when voters will decide whether to approve proposals to overhaul the city’s governance, empowering the office of mayor while diminishing the authority of the city manager.

The City Council has approved a contract with Baker Tilly for the search process, but a new city manager may be hired until at least 2024, according to the Portland Press Herald. If voters approve the proposals from the Charter Commission, the new mayor, whom voters will elect in 2023, will appoint the city manager.

That proposed realignment has been met with opposition from Mayor Kate Snyder and her predecessors, who warned the changes may politicize the city’s governance.

The charter commission, however, has argued the office of mayor lacks authority to implement policy while power is vested in the unelected city manager.