More than a year ago I signed a petition calling for a vote to change the form of government of Bainbridge Island. I signed the petition because I wanted our government to be successful.

I had just finished four years on the Bainbridge City Council and I was feeling optimistic that the next council would bring in a new spirit of cooperation and collaboration.

I was also hopeful that the new city administrator would begin to implement the organizational changes that were needed at city hall.

I believed that a council-manager government would eliminate the political maneuvering that often occurs between the mayor and the council.

I thought it was the right time to make the transition to a council-manager model which is, theoretically, a simpler and less political form of government.

However, after watching our mayor, council and city administrator over the last year, I realized that the problems with our city government run much deeper than the politics in the mayor’s office.

While I still feel that a council-manager model would be good for our city in the long run, this is the worst possible time to change our city’s form of government.

The city is in financial turmoil. The council is deeply divided. The city’s management team is ineffective and unproductive. If we change our form of government while the city is in crisis, nothing is going to improve at City Hall.

What we need to do now is improve our existing government. The city needs new leadership, effective management and an improved relationship with the community. Fortunately this is also a general election year.

If our form of government does not change in May, the voters will have the opportunity to choose the city’s next mayor in November. This election will provide the best chance for bringing new leadership and real improvement to City Hall.

There is no need to rush into a new form of government. If the voters reject the council-manager form in May, the council could still put this measure back on the ballot at any time simply by passing a resolution. I believe the city should wait until both the economic and political climate have improved before transitioning to a new form of government.

It is very rare for a city to change its form of government. In the last 40 years, only 16 cities in Washington State have changed from a mayor-council to a council-manager form.

Most people are not familiar with the issues associated with changing a city’s form of government and these issues can be difficult to explain. How will we decide which form of government is best for our community?

Before the election on May 19, the voters need to have an opportunity to hear about all the possibilities and pitfalls that each form of government presents.

We need to have open debates where all the arguments, both pro and con, can be presented. We need to have public roundtable discussions with advocates, city officials, businesses, community groups and residents.

We need organizations like the League of Women Voters, Bainbridge Resource Group, Chamber of Commerce, American Legion, BITV, Bainbridge Review and Bainbridge Islander to sponsor these events.

We need more than an academic discussion. We need to talk about what will actually happen on Bainbridge Island if our government changes.

Who will be in charge? What will happen to the mayor and the city administrator? Who will we get to vote for in the future?

We have very little time left and so many issues to discuss.

Bob Scales is a former City Council member. He has announced his intention to run for mayor.