By Jeff Kay
Early in my career, I worked for a city manager who had a saying that stuck with me: “I swim in political waters, but I don’t drink the water.”
The work of Healdsburg’s city staff is inherently apolitical, but staying above the fray can be a challenge during a contentious election season like the one we are all enduring. I’ve worked through a lot of elections, but the tone of this one—both locally and nationally—has at times been discouraging.
One particularly unfortunate trend in recent years is the incidence of individuals maligning public servants for political gain by challenging both their competence and their integrity (and I will admit to being a little defensive on this point).
I’ve seen a rise in the quantity and severity of vitriol directed at public employees. In Healdsburg, there seems to be some sentiment that City Hall doesn’t care about locals as much as tourists and the wealthy.
This is troubling to me, because it is completely inconsistent with what I witness every day. I’m quite sure that none of our employees arrive at work in the morning thinking, “I can’t wait to advance the interests of rich outsiders today!” Instead, our team is deeply committed to serving our residents, with a particular emphasis on those who need us the most.
The result is exemplary public safety services, clean drinking water, safe streets, top-notch parks, treasured community events and, yes, a sustained focus on providing housing for all income levels.
Coming Attractions
In the past year we celebrated the opening of fantastic new improvements at the dog park and Fitch Mountain, top-to-bottom remodeling of aging apartment complexes and a new preschool facility designed to be affordable for everyone.
In the months to come, we will cut ribbons at the openings of a new fire station, the Foley Family Community Pavilion and a recycled-water pipeline project that will dramatically enhance our resilience to future droughts.
These are just a few examples of the countless projects the city is completing for the community. None of them were undertaken for the benefit of outside interests.
What makes Healdsburg great is not the buildings, but the people, and how we take care of and show up for one another (regardless of personal and political differences). Small-town character is a shared value for the people that live and work here—including the city employees who provide the services that take care of this town.
This is even more impressive because the majority of our employees cannot afford to live in the community they serve. Still, their professionalism and dedication are unwavering.
The same can be said for our City Council. We are fortunate to have five members of the community dedicating countless hours to serving. Occasional policy disagreements are expected and appropriate, but I never doubt that this group is focused on the best interests of our community.
We would all do well to take a lesson from this Council: to trust the good intentions of those who disagree with us.
Work to Do
The fact that some still doubt the city’s motivations tells me that we have some work to do. I recognize the need to continue building and maintaining trust with the community. As a matter of policy, city staff stays out of the endless debates and allegations that proliferate on social media. But we aren’t blind to it. Despite the challenges of this current moment, we remain deeply committed to the core of our mission—the “service” in public service.
I am proud to work alongside what I consider to be the best team of city employees in the business. I know from experience that most communities can only dream of enjoying the resources we have here, and our team is undoubtedly our greatest resource.
No matter what happens in November, we remain committed to maintaining the standards of excellence that Healdsburg expects and depends on.
Jeff Kay began serving as city manager of the City of Healdsburg in January 2021. Email jk**@He********.gov
