Blame It on the Night Crew
There is an old workplace expression that fits municipal government surprisingly well: “Blame it on the night crew.”
When something goes wrong, the easiest explanation is often to point to the people who were there before you. In municipal government, that can take a more professional form. A newly hired township manager, department head, or other municipal employee arrives and quickly discovers that things aren't running as smoothly as expected. Files are disorganized. Procedures are inconsistent. Projects are behind schedule. Employees have developed their own ways of doing things. Maybe residents are unhappy with the level of service.
The temptation is obvious: blame the predecessor. If you’ve ever heard – or said any of these phrases, you’ve experienced this phenomenon:
“That's how I found it.”
“The previous manager didn't have a system.”
“The prior administration let this get out of control.”
“The employees weren't properly supervised.”
Sometimes those statements are accurate. Municipalities can inherit genuine problems, and a new manager shouldn't be expected to accept responsibility for decisions made before their arrival. But there is a big difference between identifying inherited problems and using them as an excuse for ongoing problems. A new municipal manager is hired to manage the municipality, not simply to explain why it isn't working.
That's where an independent outside perspective from experts with deep experience in managing local government operations can be helpful. Keystone Municipal Solutions (KMS) provides exactly that perspective, offering municipalities an objective look at what exists, what works, what doesn't, and what needs immediate attention.
An experienced outside municipal consultant can help a governing body and an incoming manager evaluate policies, procedures, staffing, financial practices, administrative systems, and day-to-day operations. The goal is simple: understand the problem, develop a solution, and move forward.
No blame games. Just solutions.
Every municipality has a history. Some of it is good, some is bad, and some simply reflects the circumstances of the time. The previous manager may have operated differently. The governing body may have established different priorities. Staffing levels may have changed. Financial conditions may have differed. Even procedures that appear inefficient today may have developed for legitimate reasons. A smooth transition respects that history while recognizing that the municipality cannot remain stuck in it.
KMS can help provide that bridge. Instead of a new manager walking through the door and immediately declaring everything wrong, an independent assessment can establish a baseline. What are the municipality's strengths? Where are the weaknesses? Which problems require immediate action? Which can wait? What should the governing body expect from management over the next 30, 60, or 90 days? These are productive questions.
There is also a benefit to having someone outside the organization help facilitate the transition. This helps ensure employees don't feel as though their previous actions and processes are being criticized or condemned. And it provides elected municipal leaders with an objective perspective. From an operational perspective, an outsider’s view also helps give the incoming manager a clearer understanding of the organization. Most importantly, the municipality’s residents benefit when the focus remains on constituent service rather than personality disputes and internal squabbling.
Municipal government doesn't need a blame game. It needs accountability, professionalism, and a willingness to fix what isn't working. Perhaps the better version of “blame it on the night crew” is this: Don't worry about who was on the night crew. Find out what happened, determine what needs to change, and get to work. That's what effective municipal leadership should look like.
Sometimes the best thing a municipality can do after a difficult transition is to stop looking backward, roll up its sleeves, and say: “Fire this thing up” and let’s get to work at problem-solving.
About the Author
David L. Anthony is a member of the Keystone Municipal Solutions team of experts. He is a veteran of municipal government, having served more than 33 years in various positions of public service. Contact him at david@keystonemunicipalsolutions.com. To learn more about David and the Keystone Municipal Solutions team, click here.
