Goochland supervisors voted unanimously to appoint Kenneth A. “Kenny” Young as county administrator at the start of their September 1 meeting. He succeeds John Budesky who left the county on June 30 to take the same position in Hanover County.
Board Chair, Susan Lascolette, District 1, said that the board retained the executive recruiting firm of Baker Tilley to assist in their search for a new administrator after Budesky tendered his resignation in March. More than 40 applicants nationwide expressed interest in the position. The selection process included personal and video interviews; resume evaluations; and responses to written questions. “Mr. Young distinguished himself throughout the process with his experience in a growing rural locality and his desire to serve.”
The Hon. Dale W. Agnew administered the oath of office to Young as his wife Cynthia and son Marcus looked on. Young said his daughter Keisha, a college freshman, was unable to attend in person but was probably watching the live stream of the event.
Young thanked the board, county staff, and community for a warm welcome.” I can’t be thankful enough about the opportunity presented to me. I’m anxious to get started. I’m excited about the next opportunity to begin. My family and I are anxious to become involved with this community on a daily basis,” he said.
Although Young will not officially take the reins of local government until September 14, he has already moved to a temporary residence in the county. He said that will give his family time to explore the variety of living options available in Goochland and find the one that best fits their needs.
Young has a wide range of management experience in local government starting as a budget and management intern with the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico while in graduate school. His most recent post was as assistant county administrator in Loudon County, one of the fastest growing counties in the country, with oversight of community and economic development; planning and zoning; and liaison to that county’s Virginia Cooperative Extension Office.
This experience equips Young to achieve Goochland’s goal to keep most the county rural while encouraging economic development in the east end. Loudon’s digital infrastructure made it a player in the technology economy while preserving the rural nature of its western reaches. A wise man opined that “Loudon is Goochland on steroids”.
Interim County Administrator Derek Stamey, who kept the county on course through the strange waters of Covid and a hurricane, welcomed Young to the Goochland family. He thanked the supervisors and commended outstanding county staff for their support during the past two months. “We do this lift together,” Stamey told Young. “We look forward to working with you to continue the upward trajectory of excellence in government and service to the citizens of Goochland.”
During more than 25 years in government and private sector management positions, Young became a credentialed manager of the International City/County Management Association. He is also a graduate of the Economic Development Institute of the University of Oklahoma. Before serving in Loudon, he held progressively responsible local government positions in Maryland and Nevada. He was vice president government affairs with the Las Vegas, Nevada based consulting firm Strategic Solutions.
Young grew up in a military family in El Paso, Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government and a Master of Public Administration degree from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. He is a member of the International City/County Management Association and the National Forum of Black Public Administrators.
For decades, Goochland supervisors have hired county administrators from outside. Young will bring a fresh perspective to county operations.
A warm welcome to Kenneth Young and his family. May you come to know and love Goochland County as a very special place to live and work.
No comments:
Post a Comment