Change may be in the air in Black Diamond according to a city councilman.

Councilman Craig Goodwin said by phone Friday there is a possibility a change of government resolution could be considered by the council in May for placement on the general election ballot Nov. 6.

The change would be from a strong-mayor or mayor-council form of government to council-manager.

According to state law, the council can place the measure before the voters through a resolution, or a petition signed by at least 10 percent of the voters in the last general city election could have issue place on the ballot.

According to Goodwin, the plan currently is to bring the issue before the council. Placing the measure on the November general  election ballot would save the city money versus placing it on a special election ballot.

A simple majority would decide the issue.

In the council-manager form of government, a city manager would be hired by the council to handle the executive and administrative duties of the city.  The council members are the only elected officials in the council-manager form.

A mayor is selected by the council members, rather than a vote of the people. Although the council can chose to place a measure before the voters to allow the public election of the mayor from the council.

The mayor in a council-manager system continues to functions as a council member voting on issues before the council.

In the mayor-council or strong-mayor form the people vote for the mayor and the council members. The mayor is the chief executive and is in charge of the administrative functions of the city.

If the voters decided to change the form of government to council manager, Mayor Rebecca Olness would complete her term, which ends Dec. 31, 2013, as a council member. For that period of time the council would have six members rather than five.

Goodwin said, “we are still doing out homework, but it would go through the council.”

Goodwin stated the issues brought up in a community forum Jan. 12 at the community center as pointing to the call for a change. The forum was lead by Goodwin and Councilwoman Tamie Deady.

At the meeting Goodwin noted there were three points agreed upon by the group. First to work on the community facilities district issue, which is a funding proposal for projects related to the YarrowBay master plan developments.

“Second was information sharing and better communication in the city,” Goodwin said. “And third was hiring a city manager or city administrator. A professional to run the city.”

Goodwin added the drive behind this is to “build trust in the community.”

Olness said, “Until the issue is in front of us it is best not to make a statement at this point.”

The city has used a mayor-council form of government since incorporation in 1959.

Maple Valley and Covington, both incorporated in 1997, use council-manager forms of government. Enumclaw, Auburn and Kent use mayor-council systems.

A city manager generally will cost a city from about $100,000 to $130,000 per year .

Howard Botts, who was mayor of Black Diamond for 26 years through 2009, said, “Both (systems of government) have pros and cons. Most of the older cities around here have elected mayors.”

Botts said people should consider carefully the issue of change of government. He noted it was important for voters to understand the advantages and disadvantages of both forms.

“Some people feel if you elect a mayor they are more attentive to what the people want rather than hiring a city manager,” Botts said. “It depends on the people.”

Councilman Ron Taylor said that “if the community is interested I am willing to put it before the voters.”

Taylor said it “might be worth considering looking at the advantages of a city manager.”

Federal Way changed its form of government in 2009 to mayor-council from council-manager. The issue failed in Federal Way the first time it went before the voters in February 2008 by 55 percent and passed in November 2009 by 51 percent.

SeaTac voters shot down a change of government to strong mayor twice, first in November 2009 with with 50.1 percent no and in November 2011 with 53.5 percent no.

Bonney Lake turned down a resolution seeking to change the government from a code city to a charter code in February 2009. The resolution lost by 88.8 percent.

The last city administrator Black Diamond had was Leonard Smith who was terminated in 2009.