The city manager is also Smithfield's engineer, building inspector, planner, budget officer, purchasing agent and director of the redevelopment agency. Gittins said the city manager controls virtually everything in the town of 9,181 — from who gets building permits to what information is presented to the City Council and how it is presented.

Although Gittins is the most vocal of those calling for a change in government, other people have similar concerns, Mayor Downs said.

At a recent City Council meeting when about 30 people concerned about the form of government attended, Gass said he'd be in a soup line if the city manager's position is eliminated. But he said the comment was meant tongue-in-cheek.

No matter what form of government the city has, he said, someone will have to perform his various duties.

"I don't think I'm going to be left unemployed regardless of the outcome of the study by the committee," he said.

Although the city manager has many duties, Gass said the City Council ultimately runs the city.

Councilman Dennis Watkins, who is on the committee, sees some potential drawbacks to the strong-mayor system.

Under the current system, the council can fire the city manager anytime, Watkins said. But under the strong-mayor system, he said, it would be hard to remove the mayor between elections.

Watkins also pointed out the city would have to come up with more money or take money from somewhere else to pay a strong mayor.

"Financially, it's a challenge for our city to have a full-time mayor," he said.

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E-MAIL: mikewennergren@yahoo.com