Members of Madison's Board of Water Commissioners voted Tuesday to delay hiring a consultant to analyze the city water utility's management problems until more people - including employees of the troubled agency - can have a say in what company is recommended for the job.

The board voted to form a five-member panel, including an employee selected by the union that represents utility workers, to broaden the search for a consultant and bring back a recommendation.

"This is a highly important thing we're undertaking," board member Jon Standridge said of the proposed study. "We're talking about a management change here. We're potentially talking about a change in direction."

On the table was a proposal from Mayor Dave Cieslewicz to spend $55,000 on a consultant, Minnesota-based EMA, to study recently revealed management shortcomings within the Madison Water Utility, including many which were turned up in a Wisconsin State Journal investigation.

Those shortcomings include poor response to water quality problems, poor communication with the public and sloppy record keeping. Morale among employees is also low and workers say there is little communication, a lack of attention to important issues such as job safety, and threats of retaliation from management if employees lodge complaints.

Some employees in the utility indicated that, though they were pleased with the idea of an outside study, they were unhappy that EMA was initially proposed by David Denig- Chakroff, general manager of the utility.

Denig-Chakroff was asked by Standridge why EMA was selected.

"How did you decide this is who we would spend our $55,000 on?" Standridge asked.

Denig-Chakroff responded that he was familiar with the company's reputation as specializing in public utilities and that he had met officials from the company at various meetings. But he admitted that no other companies were considered for the job.

"This is an expedited process," Denig-Chakroff said. "We didn't solicit proposals."

Standridge suggested that the importance of the study to the utility's future requires that "somebody other than just the top management" be involved in selecting the consultant. Board member Larry Studesville agreed.

"It is a big issue," Studesville said. "I don't think we need to be in a rush."

Board President Priscilla Mather warned, however, that problems within the utility, especially the strained relations between management and employees, need to be addressed quickly. She said she fears putting off hiring a consultant will result in "paralysis analysis."

But the board voted eventually against hiring EMA and instead approved forming a five- member panel to broaden the search for a consultant and make a recommendation at the July meeting.

The panel will include two board members, one utility employee recommended by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 60, a representative from the mayor's office, and Denig-Chakroff.

Jim McCormick, a utility employee and union representative, said he was pleased with the board's action - something which he added probably would not have happened before the recent attention received by the utility.

And Cieslewicz said the move was probably wise.

"It's got more buy-in," he said. "And that's a good thing."