Otterblog

Twenty-six years is a long time to hold the same job. But that’s how long Bill Stuart has been city manager in Winston-Salem. Now, he’s retiring.

There are a lot of tough jobs out there in the world; Being manager of a city as complex as Winston-Salem is one of the tough ones. This is a resilient city, to be sure, but it’s been through the wringer. During Stuart’s tenure, the economy has shifted from a reliance on tobacco and textiles to one built around financial services and health care. The demographics of the city have changed as well. We’re more diverse, less insular, more demanding, more politically divided.

Cities grow or die. They grow by bringing in more revenue, i.e. taxes, and by adding people. The first is done by increasing the tax rate or the tax base. The second is done by either being a desirable place to live that attracts new residents, or by annexation. Stuart has used all these arrows at various times. He’s angered many with his unapologetic support of annexation without the consent of the annexed.

City managers have enormous power under our system of government. While technically they just work at the behest of elected officials, the relationship is much more subtle. They guide, they teach, they push back, they stand up for their beliefs.

For better or for worse, depending on your perspective, Winston-Salem’s shape and scope reflects Stuart’s vision—and his longevity. In some cases, he just simply outlasted his adversaries. It’s doubtful his successor will hang around for a quarter century.