The firsthand experience the city leaders — from the Albert Lea City Council to the department heads — are getting with Interim City Manager Pat McGarvey is good, particularly considering the hiring of a permanent city manager is right around the corner.

City leaders get to see how a city manager can be apolitical. He’s not trying to push an agenda. He is open and approachable to all parties. He listens to stakeholders. He educates the City Council on a variety of options when it is making decisions, not just the staff recommendation. And he explains matters in plain language.

There are no childish grudges. No fights because someone didn’t get their way long ago. No terse, disjointed statements.

And McGarvey seems to approach his work in the correct manner: He works for the City Council and directs the department heads, rather than the department heads directing the city manager and council. At the same time, he treats his department heads with the respect they deserve.

Strong leadership, ability to listen and a good sense of fairness is what makes a good city manager.

Can Albert Lea just keep McGarvey? Alas, no.

But the experience the City Council gains from working with him will be useful during the hiring of the next city manager for Albert Lea. The city is going in a good direction and deserves commendation.

Policy, policy, policy

One other thing: As an interim, McGarvey need not get into the policy issues the city needs to address. However, the next city manager surely ought to look into working with the councilors on setting policies. Such policies, set at the council level, of course, can remove much of the day-to-day, week-to-week minutia the council seems to bother with at their meetings. Set policies, then let city officials go do their jobs within the parameters of those policies.

For instance, it seems every other meeting the City Council gives an approval for a sign to be posted at the North Broadway Avenue parking lot. Instead of repeating the same rubber-stamp action over and over, why not set a policy that just handles it?

Such measures make an organization more effective and efficient.