wk 7

August 2005 · Volume 87 · Number 7 August 2005 · Volume 87 · Number 7

Surviving the Politics of Public Administration: A Toolkit for Assistants by Troy Brown

The council-manager form of government is a widely practiced form. With it, a local government manager or administrator is appointed by an elected body to study issues, make recommendations, and implement policies set by an elected board while being responsible for the day-to-day administration of the organization. In most cases, an assistant or deputy not only serves as an aide to the manager but also assumes some of the responsibility for implementing administrative functions.

Assistants and deputy managers new to the profession quickly learn in practice that the line between policy and administration blurs. Top administrators can fall victim to politics if councilmembers decide to terminate their relationship with these managers. What can the assistant do to minimize the political fallout that can ensue from a deteriorating council-manager relationship?

Following the termination of the top administrator, three likely scenarios can unfold that can affect assistants. For one, the assistant or deputy may be appointed to serve as the interim manager until a permanent replacement has been recruited. Or the assistant may retain his or her current position and capacities. Finally, in particularly "toxic" environments, assistants can also get entangled in politics and transferred or forced to resign.

Assistants must remain marketable in the profession and continue to enhance the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to ensure their own career paths. The challenge then becomes: How does an assistant remain loyal and committed to the council-manager form of government and support the manager without falling victim to the unstable environment following termination of the manager?

Before analyzing the politics of administration, this article provides a clear understanding of the difference between policy and administration; in practice, this is sometimes far from clear.

The Line Between Administration and Policy

Public policies are the particular goals and directions of a local government and can differ from community to community. Policies can be espoused by citizens but can also be adopted by elected officials, independent of citizen input. Local policies are characteristically intended to maximize public safety, community livability, environmental quality, transportation systems, healthcare, and other values in a specific community.

Policies are usually adopted in the form of local ordinances or resolutions and also may define specific actions to be undertaken either by citizens or by the jurisdictional corporation. A particular example of public policy would be the adoption of an ordinance that requires homebuilders to include fire sprinklers in the construction of single-family houses.

Typically, the legislative body hears public comment on the proposed policy and decides whether to implement the policy, based not only on their own values and beliefs but also ideally on the values and beliefs of the constituents they serve. Assuming the fire sprinkler ordinance passes, implementation of that policy now becomes an administrative function and lands on the desk of the manager.

The manager is responsible for implementing the policy, which likely involves a number of tasks. In the case of the fire sprinkler ordinance, these tasks may include educating builders on the ordinance, ensuring that proposed housing plans and subdivisions have fire sprinklers, and verifying the installation of fire sprinklers in the field. Monitoring this policy from beginning to end may require a reallocation or change in resources, such as ensuring that staffing levels are adequate to properly inspect properties, and adjusting department training budgets to ensure the proper training of employees. Thus, the policy is set by elected officials, while the administrative functions of implementing the policy fall on the manager, causing a duality of policy and administration.

This division of policy and administration is intended to result in little or no intervention by elected officials in the administrative affairs of an organization and no policy setting by managers. In practice however, the development of policies, the advocation of recommendations, and the provision of direction to achieve the desired results requires the manager to push and sometimes cross the line dividing policy and administration.

The roles of the assistant are to aid the city or county manager in carrying out

the administrative functions, and to oversee the logistics of policy

implementation in the organization. In some instances, the assistant serves as

interim manager in the top administration's absence, sometimes becoming

viewed by staff and elected officials as an extension of the manager.

On the other hand, for elected officials, the implementation of policies, the expectation of performance, and the validation of accountability can cause a councilmember also to push the line between policy and administration. Given these dynamics, while many practitioners suggest that there is a clear separation between politics and administration, in practice, it is not so well defined.

This leads to the emerging belief that the line between policy and administration is constantly in motion, and failure to understand the fluidity of this line can cause tension between elected officials and managers. An elected official, for instance, may want to change administrative procedures for the fulfillment of policy goals, yet the manager may feel the need to adhere to strict rules and bylaws, as defined by a charter or other general laws.

Going back to the fire sprinkler ordinance as an example, if an elected official had run on a platform of fixing or eliminating bureaucratic waste, would they want to become involved in the administrative functions that meet their goals? They often do. The manager is then confronted with the question of where the division between policy and administration is drawn, and conflict may result.

Assistant's Roles

The roles of the assistant are to aid the city or county manager in carrying out the administrative functions, and to oversee the logistics of policy implementation in the organization. In some instances, the assistant serves as interim manager in the top administration's absence, sometimes becoming viewed by staff and elected officials as an extension of the manager.

Assistants and deputy managers are not immune to the political tensions at times found in local government. Because they often become the vehicles for carrying out policy as directed by the manager, elected officials and staff within an organization may perceive assistants as allies or supporters of the manager by virtue of their access and nearness to that individual, regardless of the real professional relationship of the two.

If an elected body chooses to sever its working relationship with the manager, there can be significant impacts on assistants and deputy managers, as their roles in the organization might drastically change almost overnight.

Following the termination of the manager, elected officials generally make an interim appointment of an acting administrator to serve until the search for a permanent manager can be completed. In toxic environments, the interim manager may choose to reassign, terminate, or otherwise force the resignation of those who served as assistants in the previous administration.

This type of wholesale realignment of the manager's office may be made to drastically change the administration of an organization, but it is not typical in professional environments. More often than not, an interim manager's job is simply to do his or her best to maintain the status quo until a replacement can be recruited.

Interim appointments can greatly affect an assistant. This management staff member may be called upon to use his or her institutional knowledge to keep the organization moving forward and in doing so, maintain continuity in organizational and community issues.

For any number of reasons, the assistant may not be placed in the top position. Lack of experience or of trust and confidence felt by the elected body, or the fact that the assistant is a viable candidate for the top position in the recruitment process, may prevent him or her from being appointed on an interim basis.

In any circumstance, the question becomes: What should professional assistants do to maintain their loyalty to the profession, to ensure the council- manager form of government, and to safeguard their marketability for the future? Here are some guidelines that can help assistants reach the highly regarded chief administrator position within a public agency:

1. Talk with your family about what it means to pursue a career in public management. The career of public management is both challenging and rewarding. Commonly, it involves relocating from place to place. Relocating can be hard on children and spouses as they are forced to leave behind family and friends, often sacrificing their own careers. You should involve family early and often in the decision-making process regarding career choices.

It is also necessary to help your family members understand why you may be the topic of discussion (good and bad) in the local press. It can be tough for children and family members to read about you in the newspaper, where there are often pointed, and polarizing, opinions being expressed.

2. Be mobile. Hand in hand with the need to discuss relocation goes the need for mobility. You must be able to take advantage of opportunities as they arise, often acting quickly. To be able to accept that next promotion at the right time, you must have your financial house in order. Carrying excessive debt and a blemished credit rating can hinder your ability to relocate quickly.

3. Be flexible in your thinking. Undoubtedly, in relocating, you will gain a broad knowledge of administrative procedures and policy implementation. Typically, local governments will face many of the same issues as they strive to deliver the highest level of service to their citizens. Technology infrastructures, fiscal responsibility, transportation, and growth management are critical issues that localities face today.

You should recognize that organizations deal with these issues in different ways and work within those frameworks. However, do not be afraid to "rock the boat." A new idea is usually refreshing, especially if it saves time and dollars.

4. Embrace change. As you move from organization to organization, your ability to embrace change and ultimately to be a change agent will drive your career success. You'll be facing a significant amount of change as you weave through organizational cultures. Understanding the different values systems and goals in any given community and learning the dynamics of councils and boards and commissions are critical. Even getting a complete picture of the facilities and geographical features of a new community represents a significant amount of change to undergo in a short time. Know that these dynamics exist, and prepare yourself mentally for the challenges accompanying change.

Listening is a critical element in implementing change. Particularly on the heels of recent change, listening can become the most powerful tool in your toolbox. Listening helps you understand the root causes of policy and of administrative procedures, and gives you valuable insight into the motives of people in your community and organization. Although reasoning skills play a vital role in your success too, the lost art of listening relative to communication will yield even more results than your ability to articulate your own values, beliefs, and opinions.

5. Practice ethics. Practicing ethics is about doing the right things for the right reasons and being true to yourself and your principles. As a general rule, if you don't want to defend what you are doing in the local newspaper, then it probably is not ethical. When you're traversing unknown waters, your guiding principles (i.e., your ethics) can guide you toward a solution that, albeit not the most popular, can at least be the right one to your way of thinking and hopefully the right one to the citizens and employees you serve.

6. Build a good network. Never underestimate the power of personal and professional networks. Networks serve two purposes.

First, by talking with other people involved in the profession, you learn of their successes and tribulations. Relationships yield great results when you learn from the experiences of others.

Second, you can demonstrate your own knowledge and abilities by serving on boards and committees established by various professional organizations. Of course, as you network, you can help position yourself for employment opportunities that may arise in other communities.

Conference Connection On Monday, September 26, 2005, ICMA Annual Conference attendees can attend the emerging leaders/assistant's luncheon. ICMA Executive Director Bob O'Neill will begin the luncheon with comments on the value of public service. Luncheon participants will be invited to provide an introduction of what led them to public service. This will lead to further discussion on the value of public service and ethics, as well as the value of public management.

Also on Monday, assistants and first-time conference attendees are invited to the Assistant's Forum. Assistants from the 2005 Conference Planning Committee are developing an interactive, hot-topics discussion opportunity where participants can learn and share ideas as well as network. Small-group and large-group discussions will be facilitiated by leaders of the management profession. The luncheon is a ticketed event. Conference attendees can register by mail or online at ICMA.org/conference2005.

7. Mentor, and be mentored. While assistants need to be mentored to achieve success, equally important is the need for them to mentor other aspiring managers. In most cases, the manager serves as the best mentor for assistants and deputies. It is often the manager who has the experience and knowledge on the many issues facing assistants.

Staff members at all levels of an organization often look to assistants for advice and succession planning. Assistants should take advantage of encounters with staff to provide them with expertise in planning for their own advancement. An

effective mentor needs to be frank and to offer advice on educational as well as technical needs to those seeking input on furthering their own careers.

8. Stay current on educational and technological advances. An aspiring assistant's level of formal education is critical in competing for city manager positions. Most top administrator recruitment processes require, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree in public administration, political science, or a related field. Today, more employers state that a master's degree is highly preferred.

While clearly there is no surefire way to guarantee you will get that next position, take advantage of the limited amount of available time you have to "sharpen your personal saw" and increase your marketability by continuing your education. Many localities offer tuition reimbursement. You should take advantage of it.

9. Get the most from each experience. Each assignment, even a temporary or interim one, comes with varying levels of complexity and increasing responsibility. These changes are an important and necessary part of gaining the appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities required by executives seeking to fill top administrator positions. When given an opportunity to "stretch your wings," do it gladly.

10. Support your manager. Quintessential to your existence is being a good assistant to the manager you are working with. City and county managers deal with any number of issues on a daily basis, and with their position comes with an expectation that they will achieve measurable results. Good managers guide their respective jurisdictions through waters much like the captain of a ship moves a rudder. Good assistants act as rowers and keep the organization, the manager, and sometimes the community moving forward. The overall success of the manager is dependent on good assistants to be their eyes and ears, their cultural thermometer, and their sergeant at arms when headed to battle.

A Vulnerable Position

Local government management is a challenging and rewarding career. Attaining a position that reports to a manager exposes an individual to projects and assignments important in preparing the next generation of public sector managers. A good assistant allows the manager to focus on the big picture, effectively motivating and moving an organization, guided by the vision set by the elected officials. Gaining the type of experience acquired in this environment

is invaluable to future executives, as they will be called upon to use these skills later in their own professional careers.

Assistants new to their positions should be aware that working closely with a manager can make them vulnerable, and this point shouldn't be taken lightly. Several skills are needed to equip new assistants with the proper tools to ensure a long, prosperous career. The assistant position often is a highly regarded one in an organization, and while this can be professionally rewarding, proximity to the manager can have political ramifications. While you're in a somewhat vulnerable position, assisting a seasoned administrator is the best way to fully understand the importance of good management, good governance, and what it really takes to be a successful manager.

It is possible to remain fully committed to the profession and to the council- manager form of government. Assistants should learn, mentor, and be mentored, and add significant value to an organization-all while increasing and maintaining their own marketability for a long and prosperous career and without getting entangled in politics. PM

Troy Brown is assistant to the city manager, Elk Grove, California (tbrown@elk grovecity.org).

© 2005 International City/County Management Association

Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University

Public Management and Policy Faculty Publications Department of Public Management and Policy

2011

Public Administration and Politics, a Cultural Clash: The Case of Tenth and Monroe Gerald M. Neumark Georgia State University, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.gsu.edu/pmap_facpubs Part of the Public Administration Commons

This Presentation is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Public Management and Policy at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Public Management and Policy Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Recommended Citation Neumark, Gerald M., "Public Administration and Politics, a Cultural Clash: The Case of Tenth and Monroe" (2011). Public Management and Policy Faculty Publications. Paper 1. http://scholarworks.gsu.edu/pmap_facpubs/1

1

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND POLITICS, A CULTURAL CLASH: THE CASE OF TENTH AND MONROE

Based on a lectures delivered at Georgia State University Atlanta, Georgia 2011

Dr. Gerald M. Neumark

Questions have been raised concerning the role of politics in the development of the Atlanta BeltLine policies. From one point of view, the BeltLine policy development and implementation agency, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. (ABI) seems to ignore many political considerations, particularly those emanating from the neighborhoods. From another point of view, ABI is doing exactly what it should be doing to successfully complete the project. Both points of view are mutually exclusive. This essay argues that these opposing conceptions come from a culture clash between two disciplines. One particular such disagreement, how to develop a piece of land at 10th and Monroe in Northeast Atlanta, serves to illustrate this clash.

KEY WORDS

Culture clash

Atlanta BeltLine

Politics

Public Administration

Rational/comprehensive

Political science

Questions arise from time to time concerning the viability of Wilson’s public administration-

political science dichotomy. Does it exist? Did it ever exist? The answer to these questions, at

least in theory, becomes evident if one were to look at the structure of various university

departments. For example, at Central Michigan University, Georgia State University as well as

the University of Georgia, just to name a few, not only are the disciplines separated by

2

department but also by colleges. Clearly, this is not coincidence. Indeed, this split between the

two disciplines is made even more noticeable by considering that they came from shared roots.

Built in to this separation, then, is the belief that the dichotomy exists.

Whether it exists or not, the belief in the dichotomy has led to an interesting reality: each

discipline now incorporates a very different paradigm, with the ultimate effect of a culture clash

between them. Because of this culture clash, politics as understood by political science and

the development and execution of policy, as understood by public administration have a

difficult time comprehending each other’s outlook.

While the focus of this discussion concerns the local level of government, the very purpose for

the establishment of public administration was to take the politics out of governance from the

local to the federal level. Simply put, to protect those who govern from the evils of politics.

Although this view is understandable from the origins of the discipline, as a result of the abuses

of urban machine politics, is it realistic? Can administrators be shield from politics? Indeed, is

such a purpose even desirable?

A particular land use case in Atlanta, Georgia highlights this culture clash. This case pits

neighborhoods and neighborhood leadership, whose culture is consistent with that of

traditional political science, against planners from the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., who take the view

ingrained within the culture of the public administration discipline. This conflict concerns one

property near the intersection of Tenth Street and Monroe in Northeast Atlanta. Much more

will be said about the parties and the issue below.

Conflict

3

Each of disciplines has a very different view regarding the role of conflict. Although sometimes

stuck with a pejorative connotation, without conflict, it is impossible for a society to make the

kinds of choices it must make in order to progress. Without conflict there is no need for policy

to be made, thus no need for governance. And just how realistic is that? The nature of conflict

is the very essence of politics: who gets what, where, when, why, and how. Politics is born out

of conflict. If, as is commonly accepted, it is the job of a public administrator to establish and

implement policy, then, according to the traditional political belief, these tasks cannot be

separated from politics, nor should they be.

Many of university public administration programs play down the role of politics. Once again,

consider the purpose of the separation of the two disciplines. Instead of by understanding and

developing strategies which are consistent with the political considerations in mind, conflict can

be solved by taking a rational/comprehensive view. Strategies are developed, then, from the

belief that it is the professional training that leads to the ability to deal with conflict. The

cultural difference is evident: professionalism over politics. These differences themselves result

in culture clash which opens up a whole new set of conflicts. This is becomes rather clear in the

case of the Atlanta BeltLine as it pertains to the conflict regarding Tenth and Monroe.

Atlanta Neighborhood Politics

Before we consider the actual conflict, a discussion about the politics surrounding the Tenth

and Monroe issue is in order. To adequately comprehend this conflict, the reader must

understand a bit more concerning the nature of the political structure of Atlanta and its

neighborhoods. The city of Atlanta is divided into twenty-five neighborhood planning units

4

(NPUs). These NPUs were created as a part of the city’s charter in 1974 specifically to give

Atlanta’s neighborhoods a great deal more political power. They function as quasi-

governments. (For example, the NPU leadership must take the same oath of office and ethics

declaration as all elected officials.) Each NPU encompasses anywhere from four to ten

neighborhoods depending on the size of the neighborhoods. All of the NPUs are roughly equal

in population. Their political power comes from the ability of these units to act upon and make

recommendations concerning important civic and legal items. For example, all land-use

proposals must be acted upon by the specific NPU. These include variances, rezonings and

special use permits. The NPUs are also mandated to act upon some specified city ordinances

(1) as well as liquor licenses. Although these actions are advisory in nature, it is most unusual

for the two land use boards as well as the city council to disapprove of an NPU’s action. That, in

and of itself, gives the NPUs a great deal of political power. Added to this, however, is the fact

that most city council districts normally comprise only two NPUs. As a result, politically, it

would very much be to the disadvantage of a particular member of council to go against the

wishes of his or her own or neighboring NPU.

In addition to the NPUs are the neighborhoods. Neighborhoods in Atlanta also have a great

deal of political power. As with the mission of the NPUs, Atlanta’s neighborhoods are also

tasked with acting and making recommendations on all land use proposals alcohol licenses

before they go to the NPU. The fact that the city council agrees with the proposals (2) and

recommendations of the NPUs the vast majority of the time, and the NPU accepts the proposals

and recommendations from their own neighborhoods the vast majority of the time points to

this political power. The neighborhoods, then, have a great deal of influence in respect to the

5

city council. In addition, the neighborhoods have an ability not given to the NPUs. They are

able to negotiate as well as enter into contracts with outside parties (3).

With this political power, both the NPUs and neighborhoods provide a significant obstacle for

any party who wishes to change a particular land use. Individual city councilors understand this

and react to the NPUs and neighborhoods accordingly.

If, as mentioned above, politics are all about who gets what, where, when, why and how, then

the NPUs and neighborhoods are all about politics. And their actions are easily understood by

traditional political science. Neighborhoods according to this conception, have the right to be,

indeed must be, involved in this determination and therefore the political process. Conflict is

not to be dismissed nor ignored. It is to be faced head on and managed to the neighborhood’s

best interest. To negotiate conflict is preferred; however, to the extent that negotiations fail,

the neighborhoods will use any political means at their disposal, including pursuing their goals

through the judicial system. Any kind of global outlook is essentially meaningless. What

matters is controlling the outcome of the conflict in the local neighborhood’s favor.

A Clash of Cultures

This, then, is the culture of political science and it is the culture of Atlanta’s NPUs as well as its

neighborhoods. Such a culture, however, runs counter to that of public administration. Public

administrators are educated specifically to be professional. They are taught the idea of

minimizing or ignoring conflict and its attendant politics from the very beginning of their

educational process (4). The public administrator paradigm is rational, scientific and

comprehensive. Although one sees this tendency especially pronounced in urban planners, all

6

public managers view their mission as doing the overall good of the entire community. They

often view neighborhood politics as locally and inwardly oriented. Because of this component

of their culture, it is very difficult for many public administrators to appreciate the politics of a

situation as they arise. By not being able to conceptualize the political implications of some of

their decisions, they often fail to understand the intensity and emotional nature of the

opposition. This, then, is the public administrator’s culture, and in respect to Tenth and

Monroe it is the culture of the Atlanta’s BeltLine professionals.

Tenth and Monroe

The specific culture conflict concerning Tenth and Monroe in Northeast Atlanta actually

concerns a relatively small parcel of land. At the present time, although owned by Atlanta

Development Authority (5), it serves as a parking lot for a restaurant at the edge of Atlanta’s

Piedmont Park. In its early history connected to the BeltLine, a suburban developer, Wayne

Mason, had purchased and was prepared to construct two forty-story condominium towers on

this property. This land use was vigorously opposed by the both neighboring NPUs: F and E,

who were successful in convincing the city not to rezone the property. Unlike the present

conflict, the Atlanta Planning department realized that such a rezoning would not be in the best

interest of the city as a whole. In this instance, there was no real conflict between the

neighborhoods and the public administrators associated with the BeltLine (6). Over time, The

Atlanta Development Authority (ADA) acquired this parcel of land for the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.

(ABI). The ultimate proposal was to have the property rezoned to a higher density use, possibly

7

useful for an eight story hotel. Currently, the property is zoned R4, single family housing. This

zone as it now stands is consistent with the adjoining neighborhood.

It is over the R4 zoning that the conflict has arisen, leading to additional conflicts between

BeltLine planners and the NPUs F brought about by this proposal. To being with, it is the NPU-F

policy of not allowing any rezoning that would change single family residential to a higher use.

The NPU is quite firm regarding this policy. There is an additional issue which has exacerbated

this conflict is that several residential properties adjacent to that of the BeltLine has been

purchased by a developer, who is planning to redevelop the houses on his property for a more

intensive use. However, he cannot rezone his current R4 properties because to do so would

constitute a spot zoning which is illegal in the state of Georgia. This one sliver of property,

then, protects the entire adjoining subdivision from becoming multiuse or multifamily. The

neighborhood sees the BeltLine plan as a way of destroying their way of life by adding density,

which many NPU-F residents consider to be intolerable. The specific neighborhood, Virginia-

Highland, as well as NPU-F are willing to stop the entire BeltLine process to keep their

neighborhood intact. The neighborhood is not incorrect in their assumption. It is likely that if

this piece of property is rezoned, they will most likely lose a significant portion of their single

family zones. Their perspective, however, is at the very essence of the culture clash. No

thought whatsoever is given to the effects of their possible decision to stop the BeltLine on the

forty-three other BeltLine neighborhoods located in the Southeast, Southwest, and Northwest

quadrants of town. Their determination of who gets what, where, when, why and how applies

only to their one little corner of the city. All politics are local, and this certainly is.

8

The BeltLine administrators believe themselves to be the stewards of the entire city’s wellbeing

in general and the stewards of the city’s finances as it regards the Beltline, specifically. They

have a mission: to implement the project as quickly and as cost efficiently as possible for the

benefit of the entire city. A cost/benefit analysis of having this property rezoned and selling it

at a higher profit for a higher density use would most likely prove them correct. This is the way

they their public administration culture causes them to look at the development of the BeltLine,

and it would be impossible to veer away from their mission. If it means rezoning a residential

property to higher density to enable them to sell it at a higher price, and to use that income to

further finance the development, so be it, especially if such action benefits the entire city. This

is exactly what they should be doing. The BeltLine administrators wish to determine who gets

what, where, when, why and how for the greater good of the city. Local neighborhood politics

are unimportant, carrying out their mission is.

Conclusion: Stalemate

Thus, there is a complete stalemate at the corner of Tenth and Monroe. Neither the residents

of NPU-F, nor the BeltLine officials are able to, perhaps cannot, see each other’s point of view.

Because of the culture clash between politics, as understood by political scientists as well as the

neighborhoods, and ABI’s administration and execution of their mission, as understood by

public administrators, this stalemate will not be settled any time soon. Although this may be

the first of the serious conflicts between the BeltLine organization and the neighborhoods, as

long as this culture clash is evident, there very well may be many more such stalemates in the

9

future, as BeltLine policy is developed and implemented. An understanding of the nature of

this culture clash among all of the parties will lead to better communication, fruitful

negotiations and most certainly improved community support for the project.

NOTES

(1) The way the actual piece legislation is written will determine if it must be heard and voted upon by the NPUs: if it is sent to the NPUs for comment but no official vote. It also may indicate that the piece of legislation is not to be sent to the NPUs at all.

(2) There are some land use proposals which do not have to be approved by either the neighborhoods or the NPUs. Under several of the “Quality of Life” zoning districts including but not limited to MRC 1-3 and NC 1-2, land use changes are approved by the zoning administrator and not city council. For a complete rezoning, it must be brought up to the city council as a paper. Under these circumstances, neither the neighborhood nor the NPU can act upon the proposed change. They may, however, make a non-binding recommendation. Since this is such a recent procedure, the political power in regards to this action is yet to be determined.

(3) The current city budget is recommending a grant of $100,000 for the sole purpose of allowing the NPUs to negotiate with outside developers to protect their interests as needed. The author of this essay is in the process of writing this policy for the city.

(4) Many public administrators understand that conflict and politics cannot be completely avoided. Although in theory, this is a significant part of their culture.

(5) The Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. (ABI), a public corporation, is a subsidiary of the Atlanta Development Authority, a separate government unit within the government of the City of Atlanta. Since the ADA is a government entity and the ABI is not, the ABA has the ability to float bonds for land purchases. As a result, all of the BeltLine land is under the control of the ADA.

(6) Most of the professionals associated with the BeltLine are employed by ABI. These individuals include not only planners, but administrators, community outreach professionals as well as real estate professionals. One of the BeltLine planners, however, is employed jointly by both the city planning department and ABI. The planning department has a very close association with ABI, however, and is very reluctant to modify any land use proposal suggested by the BeltLine professionals.