It will likely take another year or two for City Manager Victoria Simonsen to flush out &uot;deals&uot; like the recent scrap metal issue.

While she is charged with knowing what is going on in city departments, it is a monumental task to keep up with current city business and learn all there is to learn about prior conduct. She must take action &045; and swiftly &045; across all city departments to bring procedures in line with current practices.

We are not excusing ignorance, merely saying it will take time for some of these issues to surface. Simonsen must act quickly and responsibly to bring previous conduct in line with current procedures.

Twenty-five years is a long time and some methods of conduct were perhaps acceptable at one time. Many things have changed, including how cities are required to interact with businesses with which they work.

What happens each time such a &uot;deal&uot; surfaces, is a loss of public trust. The city can’t afford to allow this loss as it goes about positioning itself for the future.

Putting work out on a bid process is common sense. Why it wasn’t done earlier, who knows? But Simonsen must take a proactive approach, if she hasn’t already, to examine all procedures conducted by city staff and make any necessary changes to prevent further outbreaks of fires like the scrap metal issue.