• Sidebar Ads




City manager is all business, needs better people skills: Council


 Related Articles
Email Print
Murfreesboro City Manager Roger Haley is great with numbers, but he still needs to work on his relationships with city employees and the community at large, according to his annual evaluation.

Murfreesboro City Council held a special meeting Tuesday afternoon to critique Haley’s performance as city manager.

In the end, the council asked Haley to give 12 months notice on his impending retirement, despite some low scores in the people skill department.

“I’m not asking for a decision today. … (But) I think it’s imperative so we can make a decision on the future,” Vice Mayor Chris Bratcher said to the 19-year veteran manager on rumors of his retirement.

Bratcher and the rest of the city council agreed Haley does a good job overall, especially with the fiscal management of the city and planning for the future.

“Mr. Haley has excellent vision for the future,” Mayor Tommy Bragg wrote in his evaluation, adding Haley pays particular attention to the city’s revenue streams and adjusts the budget accordingly.

Bragg said during the meeting Haley’s vision for the future and management of the city’s daily operations has created a high quality of life, part of which has encouraged the city’s growth over the years.

But the council also agreed Haley needs to work on his relationships with city employees and the community as a whole.

“There’s room for improvement,” Bratcher said about Haley’s relationship with employees.

Haley responded he keeps his distance from employees because that’s just his management style.

“I want to be friendly but I don’t … want to get too close, where I would be looked upon as a replacement for the supervisor who they should report to,” Haley said.

Haley also received low scores for his relationship with the community. Bratcher wrote the city manager needs to be more visible to the community.

But others said Haley’s image is tarnished because all decisions lay on his doorstep.

“Mr. Haley is the one who says 'No.' … He’s the man in charge,” Councilman Doug Young said, adding no one likes to be rejected.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.
 
 
 
Tagged under  CITY


Member Opinions:
By: greaterhands on 10/14/08
He's the man in charge. That is a shame. He should not run the city. Do away with the mayors position. He works for Haley. I feel sorry for the city employees. Haley is not Mr Personality. I would love to buy him for what he is worth and sell hime for what he thinks he is worth. He seems to think he is above the average citizen. I wish we could vote him out. By the way cit council and mayor, I think we should vote you out.

By: haleystheproblem on 10/14/08
It's hard to imagine murfreesboro ever being a 21st century city with a 1940's mob boss at the helm. Nothing contemporary about that man, except that his girlfriend was born in a different generation.

By: barrettbear on 10/14/08
From rumors, he does not know how to communicate to people in a humane way.

By: mboromommy1 on 10/14/08
I think there are at least a few on the council that will speak up. Councilman Bratcher, McFarland, and Gilley at least are asking questions.

By: Alaskadave on 10/14/08
Hey, Everyone is on target here. This guy has got to go. If our City Council won't eject him then we should eject them! Mob-Boss is a good way to describe this guy. My only dealing with him was over the flag fiasco at the Goo Goo car wash and he was so rude to me on the phone that if he were in my face I would have punched him in the nose. No love lost here. This guy is a jerk and runs roughshod over our city employees. Haley should go now!!!!

By: les6216 on 10/14/08
I want to say that my experiences with Mr. Haley have been nothing but positive. He has shown considerable empathy and a willingness to help the uninsured and medically needy of our community through his support of the Primary Care & Hope Clinic. While he has always been fiscally responsible, he has gone out of his way numerous times to help us provide care for the poor and has represented the City's concern for all of our citizens. I recently had the opportunity to speak to Leadership Middle Tennessee, and the participants were so impressed with our City's support for our diverse community. I'm sure that no one is perfect, no city is without flaw, and certainly, some people are more personable than others; but the bottom line to me has always been how well a City's leadership cares for its most vulnerable members. In this area, my experiences have been nothing but positive.

By: JCtheKingofkings on 10/14/08
I will have to agree with the above sediment...Haley needs to go...not only because his social indescrestions, but for the millions of our tax payers dollars which he and the City Council will over spend to build the South West Loop in the wrong location down Moreland Lane.

By: whatalife on 10/15/08
Maybe he doesn't get too close to employees because he doesn't want people to know what really goes on.... Things can slip in conversations that maybe would reflect bad on his life outside of the city walls


Login and voice your opinion!
Powered by Bondware
Newspaper Software | Email Marketing Tools | E-Commerce Marketplace