Note the singular tense above.

The N&R editorializes on Greensboro City Manager Mitchell Johnson’s 3 percent pay raise using —- of all things —- GCS Superintendent Terry Grier’s 15 8 percent raise as a point of comparison:

One page the new council should borrow from the Guilford County school board’s playbook is a clear set of goals, objectives and measures each year by which Johnson’s performance could be rated. (The council currently uses a questionnaire with ratings and comments under very general — and very open-ended — criteria.)

That largely frees the evaluation process from personalities and politics. It also helps set a clear direction for the council. Mayor-elect Yvonne Johnson has said she wants the council to establish a shared vision and priorities.

This is one way to do that.

But the goals of a city of 200,000-plus residents are by nature less clearly defined than those of a school system, right? That said, what would be the main standard by which to hold a city manager? The only solid criteria I can legitimately think of is providing effcient city services —- like getting cops to a crime scene in a timely manner —– without raising taxes.

Fortunately, I believe the new city council will indeed emphasize that goal, objective, and measure.

Update:I got my numbers temporarily confused. Grier’s raise was 8 percent, for a total of $15,000.