Tough choices in 2012 will reveal Denver Mayor Michael Hancock's leadership style

By Jeremy P. Meyer
The Denver Post

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, front. (Denver Post file photo)

Next year will make clear one thing: how Denver Mayor Michael Hancock leads.

Is he a leader who reaches into his gut to pull out decisions based on his convictions? Or is he a leader who relies on consensus, committees and recommendations from task forces?

So far, Hancock has not been forced to make many controversial decisions; after being sworn in July 18, he has spent most of the past five months filling out his administration.

"We're calling 2012 'The Year of Decisions,' " Hancock said in a recent interview.

Matters on his plate for 2012 will be weighty, carrying with them political implications and possible controversy.

He'll be faced with choosing to impose a trash fee on Denver residents,

PUBLIC SAFETY: The city must negotiate contracts with public-safety unions. Hancock has already made some tough decisions ? including hiring Police Chief Robert White. White is transforming the department after a project that saves $8 million and increases officers in "line-of-duty functions." (Andy Cross, Denver Post file photo)

deciding whether to ask voters in November to support a mill- levy increase for city services, negotiating contracts with public-safety unions and figuring out what to do about a library system that has asked either to be given a dedicated revenue stream or to be carved off into a special tax district.

He also must come to a decision about what to do about the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo, which last week responded to the mayor's request to deliver a business plan with a list of possible moves.

"The boldness and big decisions are looming for Denver, and we are going to have to prepare ourselves to make them," Hancock said.

He has yet to show that side, said Susan Barnes-Gelt, a former councilwoman and observer of Denver government.

Hancock, she said, must "decide what his priorities are, articulate them, organize his Cabinet and staff around them and fight for them.

"So far," she said, "he hasn't done that."

Echoes of campaign

It is the same criticism Hancock's election opponent, Chris Romer, lobbed at the former councilman during the spring's runoff campaign ? saying Hancock tends to legislate by committee rather than make gut decisions.

STOCK SHOW: The future of the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo is an open question, with ideas ranging from doing nothing to expanding current facilities to building a new complex. The mayor has already decided to pull Denver out of a state Regional Tourism Act application with Aurora. (Joe Amon, Denver Post file photo)

Hancock disputed that assertion.

"I feel that you have to do both," Hancock said. "If you look at some of the decisions I have had to make while in office, clearly I have been thoughtful to get advice from people who I trust.

"But as I said in those debates, this is not a cowboy kind of town where I can ride roughshod and make decisions without including people. This is a town that has a collaborative spirit. We have always been that way."

Hancock noted he has made some tough decisions ? including hiring Police Chief Robert White, who's only the second chief to come from outside of the Denver Police Department.

White came from Louisville, Ky., starting a few weeks ago.

Hancock said White is

BUDGET CHANGES: In late January, Hancock will be presented with a report recommending how the city can cut costs and raise revenues. Some recommendations already have been revealed: charging a fee for trash service, raising property taxes and cutting costs in the government. (Aaron Montoya, Denver Post file photo)

being tasked with transforming the department, following a strategic alignment project developed early this year that saves $8 million and increases the number of officers in "line-of- duty functions."

Hearing "both sides"

Hancock also said he had to decide to pull Denver out of the Regional Tourism Act application with Aurora. However, he made that decision after Auditor Dennis Gallagher and the entire City Council urged him to act.

"There was no formal committee that told me to pull out," he said. "You also had people who were saying we ought to stay in. So we were hearing it from both sides. There have been decisions where there weren't committees recommending a certain route. It was just me taking (a look) at the totality of the information and saying, 'This is what my gut tells me.' "

Hancock said that in early January he expects to announce the final two positions in his Cabinet ? manager of public works and manager of planning and development.

And late in January, Hancock and the Office of Economic Development will announce the city's economic-development plan for the next four years.

Director Paul Washington said the plan calls for more than just adding jobs and buildings.

"It is a pathway to strong families, integrated communities and self-sufficiency," Washington said.

Washington recently returned from China, where he said he had successful conversations about creating an "inbound trade mission" with clean-energy-technology entrepreneurs from Chongqing ? a city of 35 million people.

Budget changes ahead

Also in late January, Hancock will be presented with a host of decisions in the form of a report by a task force looking at the city's long-term financial structure ? a list of recommendations of how the city can cut costs and raise revenues to permanently fill a persistent $30 million budget gap.

Some of those recommendations already have been revealed: charging a fee for trash service, raising property taxes and cutting costs in the government.

Hancock's chief financial officer, Cary Kennedy, said her office will analyze each recommendation and the City Council and public will have a chance to weigh in before any decision is made.

"Looking into the future, we can't continue the same service delivery without making changes," Kennedy said. "The mayor is fully committed to finding solutions and ensuring the city's budget is balanced and the city's long-term financial situation is solvent."

Hancock has vowed that his administration won't continue to "kick the can down the road."

"We are changing fundamentally the way we support and fund our city government," he said. "We can either do nothing, or we can make some tweaks. We are going to have to have a good conversation with the community about what that looks like going forward."

Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367, jpmeyer@denverpost.com or twitter.com/jpmeyerDPost

Source: http://feeds.denverpost.com/~r/dp-news-local-denver-metro/~3/6iAG6UinFEs/ci_19629135

jessica sutta houston astros sexiest man alive 2011 ruben studdard ruben studdard black friday sales 2011 black friday sales 2011