I’ve been waiting for an excuse to use that headline. Today, I have one.
Journal Star county beat and occasional society reporter Karen McDonald writes in Monday’s “Word on the Street” column that County Administrator Patrick Urich is under scrutiny by some County Board members, “amid growing concerns of lagging communication and issues related to the museum, Bel-Wood Nursing Home and the deficit budget.”
“I think we need better communication. We need to tackle these problems. We need to build better policy,” said board member Mike Phelan…. “It seems like the board isn’t fully informed at all times about what’s going on,” board member Pat Hidden said. “It was my understanding that the County Board made the rules and we were his boss. Maybe I was wrong. It’s like the County Board is just puppets now.”
Board members now want to do a formal performance evaluation of Mr. Urich. My guess is that he’ll come through it with flying colors. In fact, board members might just discover a new-found appreciation for the job he does. It will also give disgruntled board members a chance to explain the reason for their displeasure with Urich’s performance, and give him the opportunity to mend those relationships.
I don’t always agree on policy with Patrick, who also happens to be my neighbor, but I’ve always found him to be candid, professional, affable, and accessible. We’ve sparred quite a bit over issues involving the proposed downtown museum (which is still underfunded, by the way), but our disagreements have never gotten personal. My guess this is just a misunderstanding among some board members and it will all get worked out once they get a chance to sit down and discuss it with Patrick.
I don’t know C.J.
I’ll bet if you ask Merle, he would say that the problems between county board members go way beyond a simple “misunderstanding,” especially where the museum is concerned.
He’s done a lot to demonstrate that the Peoria area can attract, retain, and successfully utilize professional administrators. He’s the consummate professional and we’re lucky to have him in charge of Peoria County and working with the elected officials.
If the City could get and appropriate utilize a comparable administrator for City Manager, this area would begin to turn around.
Peoria Proud:
I suggest wording to the effect of “working for the County Board” and working with other elected County Officials.
New Voice: I have often praised the work of our administrator and critiqued him in his office, on the board frloor, on C.J.’s site and my blog site.
C.J.:
Patrick is personal and affable. He would be in demand for an administrative position for many public bodies. He has now served this county for almost 9 years. I have served and worked with him for almost nine years.
Some differences on issues always occur over a period of time. Happens in the best of marriages. We have a full board meeting on Oct.5, 6:00, County Health Department, Room LL100 on Sheridan Rd. While designated City?/County hEALTH dEPT., it is really the Peoria County Health Department.
Be sure to attend as this is an open meeting “Budget Policy Discussion”. Followers of C.J. may learn something more to talk about than what’s happening in the city and #150. It will be the first full board DISCUSSION MEETINGS of more to come.
See my blog today.
Merle:
Your point is taken….and I hope that you also got mine. This is a capable administrator the likes of which the Peoria area needs more of not less. I have much greater respect for the entire County administration now then I did a decade ago — not saying it’s all his work, but it is impressive what can be accomplished with a professional administrator working with a professional board can accomplish.
Yes, there will be disagreements, but the issue is how professionally these are handled not the fact that there were bumps in the road.
I once asked Mr. Urich about applying for the City of Peoria City Manager position during one of the all too frequent times it was vacant. He quickly dismissed the thought indicating that he had further work to do with the County. This told me a lot — namely that he was focused on developing an effective organization and not just a resume.
Peo Proud.
Agreed!
Merle,
Why will the administrator only take a pay cut if the unions do so first? I think it would behoove him to take the first step as many of the city management did.
Neal