March 19, 2024

City staff reorganization to bring focus on finance, economic development

To bring a tighter focus on the City of Newton’s finances, a reorganization of some city staff positions was approved by city council this week.

City Administrator Matt Muckler presented the resolution creating a two-person team for both finance and economic development, eliminating the department of finance and development department and creating an economic development department along with the position of economic development director.

“The driving force behind this proposal is that we want to enhance our finance function,” Muckler said. “In my first couple of months here, I have identified that our finance area is one that we really need to focus on. I feel we have a responsibility to be fiscally responsible in the decisions we are making from a financial area. I feel like we need an adequate staff to be able to work on those functions. The staff we have working now is doing an incredible job I just don’t feel like we have enough support in that area.”

Under the administration department, the finances will be handled by the financial assistant and the senior analyst. Also in the administration department is the city administrator, administrative services manager/city clerk, administrative assistant and community marketing manager.

“The senior analyst position would substantially become focused on finance, so that is a big change,” Muckler said. “Having those two positions together we can really do some great things and really raise the level of what we are doing in our finance areas.”

In the area of economic development, the two-person team will consist of the new economic development director and the development specialist. The director position will be filled by the former director of finance and development.

“There are no requests for increased funding, this is revenue neutral. None of the positions in the reorganization have increased or decreased salaries, it is simply putting our resources, our people, behind our priority projects,” Muckler said. “The Hotel Maytag project is what I would consider a top priority, development around the Speedway and a lot of housing progress that we are happy about now. Cardinal Ridge work is going and we want to see the same thing happening at Fairmeadows North. Those are some of the high-profile economic development projects we will ask the economic development department to be working on.”

Director of finance and development Bryan Friedman and senior analyst Natalie Umsted spoke to the council about the reorganization, as their positions are impacted by the changes. Both requested more time to study the change as a group to work out what would be best for both the city and the employees.

“I think the best step forward would be to pause, work together as a team to come up with a collaborate decision that is a fit for the staff and for our departments,” Umsted said. “Taking a step back, not passing it tonight and figuring out exactly what those goals are and objectives are and figuring out how we can align resources to meet those goals instead of just reallocating one position almost entirely. This affects my job and my day to day work very substantially. I would just request a little more time to work together on it as staff.”

Muckler said he spoke with each employee affected by the changes individually and as a group to gain their feedback. He said he gave the reorganization a lot of thought and feels the proposal matches the values he stated when he came to Newton and started in his position.

“Specifically monthly finance reports, I think we can do a better job with that. I think we can do a better job with some of our day-to-day things we are doing such as our warrants process, I think we can bring some more accountability into that process, we can be spending more time looking at financial policies ... I think having more of a focus on our finances in really going to help come annual budget time,” Muckler said. “We will have two employees who are focused on economic development and economic development alone. There won’t be any distractions for those employees and I think that is going to work well.”

Muckler wants to have an open and transparent government, allowing citizens to see where their money is being used on a regular basis, he said.

Councilwoman Evelyn George agreed with Muckler about having finance and economic development separated. She shared her personal experience working in two different areas and how it was a challenge giving the appropriate focus on each task.

“I worked in product development and when you are working in today’s business and tomorrow’s business, you are always being pulled in both directions,” George said. “When I was able to be in an advanced design department where I could only focus on tomorrow’s business, you get a lot more done because you only have to think about tomorrow.”

She commended the move and the new department’s ability to push the timelines of projects already underway while having separate employees focusing on “today” business such as finance and marketing. Councilwoman Miranda Kulis agreed and talked about the many goal setting and strategic planning sessions city council and staff participated in the fall.

“I think this reorganization definitely achieves some of the top goals that we set out in those planning sessions,” Kulis said. “Really the drive and focus on economic development as well as the transparency and allowing our constituents and our citizens to really see what we have been doing and being open and honest about that.”

Councilwoman Lin Chapé spoke about her expectations of city staff through the transition of positions.

“We have a seasoned staff here, and I appreciate that. We also have fresh eyes in our community through our city administrator, I also appreciate that. We have a lot to do, and I think that sometimes change is hard, but it is also good,” Chapé said. “I have been riddled and received a lot of opinions on this very plan. I appreciate our citizens in our community willing to come forward. I don’t appreciate them coming forward with half information. I would expect our team here, even though you may not agree with the structure upfront, to stand up and at least try to support it for a period of time, knowing you will be able to give full feedback to your city administrator.”

Chapé said she expects to have progress reports on the reorganization from both Muckler and city staff as it moves forward.

“Rather than sitting and shaking your heads ‘no’ and being doubtful Thomases, we have a professional group of people, and I would expect this group to stand up and if that doesn’t happen I will be totally disappointed,” Chapé said. “I do believe in our staff and our leadership in this community.”

Additional changes in the public work department were also approved by council at its previous regular meeting. Following retirements and resignations in the department, two parks superintendent positions remained open. To fill those positions, public works director Keith Laube proposed combining the duties of the parks administrative superintendent, parks operations superintendent and greens superintendent into two superintendent positions, a parks operations superintendent and a parks operations assistant superintendent. An additional grounds keeper position will also be added, increasing the number from three to four.

The current greens superintendent will fill the park’s operations assistant superintendent and the park operations superintendent and grounds keeper position will be advertised.

The plan will, in time, provides a savings in wages and benefits of approximately $97,000 in the first year, Laube said, and $56,000 per year when the position reach the highest step on the city’s pay matrix.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com