City Administrator Hits the Nail (and the Elected) on the Head

…because it’s time for a reset.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel. - Proverbs 12:15

On Wednesday, April 19th, at a special meeting of the Willard Board of Aldermen to swear in the newly-elected, the interim city administrator stood tall at the lectern and gave some sage and pointed advice to the elected officials who sat before him.

Three of the aldermen were elected on April 4th, so even though his advice was applicable to them as well, I doubt they were his main target. Rather, his advice seemed to be directed at the mayor and the holdover aldermen elected the prior year.

Now, if I were to claim that my many mistakes and bad decisions in this life were beyond uncountable, I wouldn’t be exaggerating. I’ve been a fool enough times over the years to know that I’m not that smart and should be seeking advice rather than dispensing it. So there is probably no one less qualified to speak to the needs of the City of Willard than I am.

Interim City Administrator Steve Bodenhamer, on the other hand, has served successfully in different capacities in municipal government for much of his career, including as Strafford’s long-time city administrator — a period during which he oversaw Strafford’s rapid development and substantial economic growth before retiring. He has been Willard’s temporary city administrator since September.

An election, no matter its outcome, is an opportunity for a reset — something the City of Willard sorely needs because during the past year it has come to epitomize the meaning of the military acronym FUBAR. In my opinion, the cause hasn’t been city staff; rather, it’s been the elected-government. But that can change if the people in those positions decide to alter their course. And the fresh start afforded by the recent election would be the perfect time for them to make that happen.

City Administrator Bodenhamer lays it out clearly and assertively in this short clip. If you only have a moment, begin watching at the fifty-second mark. If you are unable to watch the video, the city administrator’s main points are listed in the addendum below:

The city administrator and I probably disagree on a great many things related to government: I’m a non-voting anarchist, whereas he is likely much more traditional. But if you’re going to have a government and have any expectation for it to work, then you had best heed his sage advice above.

Particularly in light of the fact that sometime soon, we’re going to be facing an economic crisis on a scale that hasn’t been seen since the Great Depression. Despite what the federal government claims, the outlook for the American economy in the near, mid, and long-term is anything but good. Leading economic indicators have not been this negative for so many months in a row since the height of the Great Recession fifteen years ago, and with one very major difference:

Back then there wasn’t an inflation problem; now there is, which severely limits the sleight-of-hand the Federal Reserve has relied on in the past to paper over the downturns brought on by misguided government policies.

When the economy implodes, it would at least be reassuring to know that Willard’s water and sewer system were able to function properly* when you wake up and “hit the head” before leaving to work the breadline in the morning.

You probably think I’m being an alarmist.

Perhaps I am.

Either way, I’d rather we found out with working toilets than without them.

Hopefully, the mayor** and the three holdover aldermen can “forgive and forget” and decide to work together and move the city forward.

If not, you’ll need to hold the latter three accountable in April 2024.

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Addendum

This is a list of the City Administrator’s main points.

Observations and Challenges

Observation: Willard has good growth potential

• Available land for development

• US 160 traffic count about 15,000 vehicles per day

• Good school system

• Bedroom community for employment in Springfield

Challenge: Infrastructure and Land Use Planning

• Lift Station B at capacity resulting in a moratorium on new connections

• Intelligent usage of commercial property

• Forward looking land use planning

• Long term upgrades to regional lift station and 94 lift station

• Consideration of waste water treatment plant

Observation: Willard is not "open to business"

• Not a level playing field

• Protectionism of existing businesses

• "Hand Shake" deals depending on who you are or know

Challenge: Development friendly on a level playing field

• Update municipal codes, regulations

• Continue with the planning department of treating everyone on a level p

• Do not play favorites or choose winners/losers

Observation: Willard Municipal Government is dysfunctional

• Posts by elected officials on social media attacking others

• Lack of long term planning and direction

• Conflict among the elected officials

• Lack of professional respect by elected officials to city staff.

Challenge: Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way

• If you are here for your ego, self interest, interest of friends or think you are KING- YOU ARE IN THE WRONG PLACE

• If you are here to offer your experience, knowledge, expertise and representing your constituents — YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE

• The personal attacks by elected officials in person or on social media MUST STOP NOW

• Elected officials need to understand the challenges and participate in the decision process regarding solutions

• Respect and listen to professional staff - YOU DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING

• Review your agenda packet and be ready to ask any questions. Do not spend time "looking at your shoe laces" during the BOA meeting.

• Contact City Administrator if you have questions.

• WHAT IS YOUR FUTURE VISION FOR WILLARD

Notes

*The City of Willard was recently approved for a nearly $3 million dollar grant to upgrade one of the lift stations that sends its sewage to Springfield for processing.

The annual cost of having Springfield process Willard’s sewage makes up a substantial and growing portion of the City’s annual budget. This needs to be addressed. Even if the City opted and gained approval to build its own sewage treatment facility, it could take between 7 to 10 years before the facility was completed and operational.

Additionally, there is an ongoing lawsuit filed by the City of Willard in 2021 against a contractor who is alleged to have incorrectly installed the 14” pipeline that carries sewage to Springfield. Per the lawsuit, the pipeline “has suffered numerous breaks…causing significant detrimental environmental events with [thousands of gallons of] sewage being spilled into the environment.” The City is asking the court to award a substantial sum to address and repair the ongoing problem.

**The final two minutes of the video are a statement from Mayor Samuel Snider on opportunities and challenges.