Alabama NAACP pushes back on Madison city manager proposal

The Alabama NAACP will hold a press conference on Wednesday in Madison to warn against the city’s efforts to reduce the number of city council districts and switch to a city manager form of governance. 

Madison residents will vote on the measure next Tuesday, and could establish a system in which the mayor becomes primarily a symbolic position. A city manager would be hired by the council – not elected by voters – to run the day-to-day operations of the city and the mayor would basically become an at-large city councilperson. 

“The purpose (of the press conference) is to address the grave concerns regarding the proposal … to reduce the representation and rights of citizens by eliminating one council district and by installing a council-city manager form of government,” said Limestone NAACP second VP Hanu Karlapalem in a statement. 

The NAACP and other groups believe the decision would weaken the voters’ input, because it would remove a city council district. 

The move to a city manager would also require the city – Alabama’s 10th largest, and one of its fastest-growing – to undergo reapportionment and draw new city council districts. 

Wednesday’s press conference is at 10 a.m. at Home Place Park.