Mayor Elected?

It's a measure of how things have been going in Petersburg that residents there can look up at Richmond's recent experience with an elected mayor -- from the eviction of School Board offices from City Hall to lawsuits over budget powers -- and say, "Man, have they got it good."

A group called Concerned Citizens of Petersburg is circulating a petition with an eye toward changing the system for selecting the mayor. Like Richmond's used to be, the office in Petersburg is a largely ceremonial one whose tenant is chosen from among the City Council.

While civic leaders have done yeoman work in trying to turn the city around, it's fair to say there is still room for improvement. Changing the system of government does not guarantee progress. Central Virginia's well-managed counties all operate under a council/administrator format, after all. But electing the city's mayor might improve the odds. A mayor who swept in with a large mandate would have the confidence to clean house and the tendency to put the best interests of the city as a whole first.

And just think: By the time Petersburg does adopt an elected-mayor system, Doug Wilder -- who ran in Richmond because he wanted to help a city in trouble -- will be available.