City administrator study, parking ramp restrictions approved by La Crosse committee

Members of a La Crosse city council committee have not been able to agree on a plan to study the possible need for a city administrator.

A resolution to establish a working group to consider the administrator plan failed Wednesday on a 3-3 vote by the council’s Judiciary and Administrative Committee. The study proposal will go to the full city council next week with a recommendation not to adopt.

The idea of hiring an administrator to manage city business alongside the mayor has been debated for months by council members.

At their October meeting, the council voted to postpone any decision on appointing an administrator until at least May, after the spring elections for mayor and council.

Some of the argument for not voting for an administrator at that time were because there hadn’t been enough public input.

The committee also approved an ordinance to restrict unnecessary activities at city-owned parking ramps.

The proposal says a person would be trespassing in a ramp by doing things not directly related to parking a car, such as drinking, using drugs, camping, or skateboarding.

That measure also goes to the full council at its November meeting.