On July 5, the Hon. Dale W. Agnew, Clerk of the Goochland Circuit Court, administered the oath of office for county administrator to John A. Budesky.
Board of Supervisors’ Chair Robert Minnick, District 4, observed that Budesky is the tenth person to hold the office since its establishment. Following a lengthy nationwide search, the supervisors announced their choice of Budesky last month. He will be coming all the way from neighboring Hanover County, where he currently serves as a deputy county administrator.
Minnick said that Budesky, as county administrator, is charged with balancing the needs of citizens with the services and facilities that support our growing community; serving as a trusted advisor to the board; assuming responsibility for the care and feeding of approximately 190 employees; formulating a nearly $70 million annual budget; protecting of our AAA bond rating; and interfacing with the citizens of Goochland County. “All of these responsibilities are overshadowed by the need for you, John, to just be you.”
Ken Peterson, District 5 read a resolution appointing Budesky as county administrator and authorizing execution of an employment contract.
The entire Hanover County Board of Supervisors, as well as its County Administrator, Cecil “Rhu” Harris, who grew up a stone’s throw away from the Goochland administration building, attended Budesky’s investiture to wish him well. Goochland County staff, Constitutional Officers, Budesky’s colleagues from around the region, and his family were also present.
Budesky said he was humbled and honored to be selected for the post. He takes the responsibilities entrusted to him seriously and thanked County Attorney Norman Sales, acting as interim county administrator and Assistant Clerk Lisa Beczkiewicz, the glue that holds administration together, for their gracious and helpful input in his transition.
“Today is an opportunity for my kids to see what I do all day. To have the members of [the Hanover] Board here today is an honor. I have tremendous respect for the lessons I learned from Mr. Harris.”
He paid homage to former County Administrator Rebecca T. Dickson, whose retirement for health reasons created the opening. “I have tremendous respect for my dear friend Becky. Leadership is making lives better for your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence. I think Becky did that and I hope to honor her work and continue her legacy.”
Budesky then reflected on the role of county administrator. “Learning from and working with our residents is extremely critical to achieve the results we look for. This is about public service above self, providing high levels of accountability through a high level of ethics, and measurably demonstrated results. It’s extremely important that we keep challenging our standards of excellence and look to be better tomorrow than we are today. Regionalism is extremely important. Goochland is a key partner in its growth, providing opportunity for our community.”
Demonstrating understanding of tension between the “been heres and the come heres” Budesky said “...understanding that generations of people who have a solid foundation in the history of Goochland we also have residents who are new to Goochland, and we must balance the needs of all.”
Budesky said he looks forward to the opportunity of working with the Sheriff, Fire-Rescue Chief, career and volunteers to make it a safe and responsive community and continue their good work.
“Never underestimate the value of public trust. I will work diligently every day to preserve that trust. The staff I’ve met so far has worked very hard to achieve high standards. I value feedback from every level and perspectives from every direction.”
Goochland government has changed greatly in the almost seven years since we last changed county administrators. Many of the metaphorical minefields have been cleared.
The county’s success brings a different set of challenges. Budesky’s experience in jurisdictions large and small will add invaluable insight as Goochland seeks balance in the risk and rewards of growth. New eyes on old problems often lead to good solutions.
Budesky will start work on August 1.
No comments:
Post a Comment