City manager reviews first 90-days
IN THE CITY
by Jim Bennett
It is a pleasure to be able to offer my first column as your new city manager. The past three months have been the beginning of a period of transition; not only for the committed city staff, but also for my family. Let me briefly share some of the things that have been going on with you on both fronts.
Your team of professionals has been working hard to figure out new ways that we can continue to offer you the services you desire and expect, while trying to find the most efficient way to deliver those services. This is a process that never has a final conclusion, but is measured by milestones that can collectively be celebrated. In the past few months, we have been able:
• Extend Tax Collector/City Clerk counter service hours: The Finance Team has put together, and implemented, a plan to extend the service hours of our service windows to match the times City Hall is open (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM M-F) without adding any cost.
• Implemented Telephone Changes: Under the leadership of our Resource Management Director, LaNiece Winslow, working with FairPoint and our telephone vendor NorthWoods, we have been able to put together a plan to improve our telephone services and save costs. When the project is completed in the next 60 days or so, there should never be a reason that you would get a busy signal when you call us. Further, you will be able to use our enhanced features to be able to reach the department you like. Other expected automated options will become available for you while continuing to provide the personal service that you would expect; promising to ensure that you still will have a real person warmly greeting you when you call City Hall.
• Develop and Adopt a work plan: The City Council has worked with the management team of the city to put in place an aggressive work plan for the next 12 to 18 months. This work plan, which can be viewed in detail at our city webpage www.presqueisle.govoffice2.com, lays out the major initiatives that we plan to undertake on your behalf.
• City Council Packages: The information that the City Council receives prior to a meeting has been enhanced and expanded. With rare exception, all of that information (package) is considered public information. As part of our steps to make your local government more transparent, we will have a copy of all of the public parts of the Council package available on the city website by the end of the day each Friday prior to a City Council meeting. Additionally, a hard copy of the package will be available for public viewing at the City Clerk’s Office, as well as at the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library.
• Integration of Technology: Our Finance Director, Pat Webb and her team are working with Oak Leaf Systems, Inc.to complete the first phase of integrating our computers and other technologies. This project is expected to be the backbone, and essential to finding other ways to do more with less.
This is just a small sample of some of the transitions that are underway all in the singular pursuit of trying to be a local government that makes your proud to live in our community. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have questions or suggestions on how we can do a better job.
Finally, on the personal front, I am pleased to share that my family has permanently joined me as residents and taxpayers in Presque Isle. My wife, Deb, and our two children: Mitchell, 16, and Amanda, 15, have moved into the home we purchased in May and collectively, we are looking forward to meeting new friends and becoming part of Aroostook County living.
James A. Bennett is Presque Isle’s city manager. He can be reached at 764-2501 or via e-mail jbennett@presqueisleme.us.
