By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
John Sheedy was appointed as Del Rio’s next city manager during Tuesday’s regular city council meeting.
Wednesday, the 830 Times asked Sheedy to comment on his appointment, and he released the following statement:
“I would first like to extend my appreciation to the Del Rio City Council for the trust and faith they have placed in me by appointing me city manager. I understand very well what an important and difficult decision the council members faced, and I’m committed to doing my very best to make sure that their decision results in the progress that they are expecting from their city manager. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the citizens of the community for the opportunity to serve them.
“I’m convinced that most issues and frustrations that continue to limit the City of Del Rio organization today, and the ones we most urgently needed to correct, are symptoms of a single missing component; that is the lack of comprehensive policies, guidelines and processes for most tasks and responsibilities. This issue has evolved to such a concerning level, and in fact has been further compounded, due to too many years of leadership which was either not aware, not interested, unable to correct or otherwise simply neglected, the many areas which desperately needed comprehensive and long-term solutions to be developed and implemented.
“Unfortunately, I can confirm there is no ‘magic wand’ that will catapult the City of Del Rio out of the more frustrating and resistive struggles we are currently facing and elevate our organization to a higher level of performance and productivity. That success will require determination and a long-term effort from a united team, including a leader with nothing less than 100 percent commitment to comprehensive solutions – and not the continued reliance on ‘Band-Aid’ fixes that are often applied as a last resort due to lack of proactive processes.
“Many, myself included, feel the City of Del Rio is at a unique point in its history; a point where opportunities are beginning to knock at our door more than ever before; but to be able to effectively and successfully seek and implement those opportunities, we must first focus on building a strong organizational and functional structure, and the foundation for that structure must be based on comprehensive policies and procedures for all aspects of city business. Accountability is critical, but there is often little accountability because there is a lack of policies to provide clear expectations and to be able to use as a corrective/disciplinary tool when policies/procedures are not applied correctly.
“I’m anxious to be able to build on the work and projects already undertaken by the city council (and previous councils and administrators), to participate in the development of new projects, and to seek out every possible improvement that we can identify for each and every service the city provides. We have been working hard to make our city better, and all thanks for the progress we’ve made should be directed at the amazing staff and all of the hard-working employees that provide services to improve our community. My experience, during the time I’ve been in the position on an interim basis, is that we have extremely knowledgeable, competent and dedicated employees in the City of Del Rio organization, and I feel blessed to have each and every one of them our team. I’m committed to providing all departments and divisions with the training, resources, and support they require to do their jobs in the most professional manner possible.
“I’d like to encourage any citizen who might have an unresolved issue, an idea or suggestion or question about any city activities to please reach out to me, as I sincerely want to hear from our community as we continue to seek out ways to improve our city. I will listen, take notes, and I will learn, and if possible, I’ll implement or resolve to the best of my ability. Please contact my office by phone, email, or set up a visit if preferred. Phone 830-774-8558 Email john.sheedy@cityofdelrio.com”
