Watertown’s city manager-led form of government remains a work in progress (Audio)

November 21, 2022
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–Watertown’s city manager-led form of government has been in place for about eighteen months.

A three member committee made up of Deputy Mayor Glen Vilhauer and Councilmen Randy Tupper and Dan Schutte have been meeting to gauge how the transition has gone.

Vilhauer said the committee was not judging job performance, but rather how the duties of the mayor and city manager have been split up. Vilhauer says one concern is that the mayor’s job is intended to be a part-time position, and right now, it’s not…….

City Manager Amanda Mack (pictured) says it’s early enough that it’s still a learning process….

Mayor Ried Holien acknowledged that in the year-and-a-half since being elected, he’s put in way more than part-time hours, but there’s a reason for that…

Vilhauer says the ultimate goal is to operate in a manner that best serves the needs of the citizens of Watertown.