Corbett cuts five Tuesday evening regular meetings from summer schedule; says search for city manager likely will need to expand

CEDAR RAPIDS - Mayor Ron Corbett says a part-time council like the Cedar Rapids council - which he has said since taking office in January is committed to action - can get plenty done without the need to hold a regular meeting four Tuesday evenings a month in the summer.

Corbett said he has decided to hold just three regular Tuesday evening meetings in June and two in July and August instead of four a month.

The mayor noted that the nine-member council meets in committee meetings and at lunch meetings on some days and can easily forego a few night meetings in the summer.

“It isn't like anything isn't going to get done in those weeks with fewer night meetings,” Corbett said.

He said he really is a believer that the city's part-time council and part-time mayor should be part-time elected officials and that the full-time city manager ought to be running the day-to-day operation of the city.

Speaking of city managers, the mayor noted that the city likely will need to expand its search for a city manager beyond Eastern Iowa. Some on the council - Corbett included - had hoped they might be able to find a replacement for just-departed City Manager Jim Prosser from Eastern Iowa.