ACCGov manager says departmental review, service delivery will be priorities

Bob Cowell, manager at ACCGov, told the mayor and commission during introductory remarks that his immediate priorities are evaluating city departments and improving how the organization delivers services.

Cowell said his work will center on supporting the mayor and commission to "achieve their objectives" and on coordinating staff efforts to carry out strategic priorities. "What I really spend, I think, the majority of the time on is helping the commission, the mayor and the commission, kind of achieve their objectives, working with the staff in, in implementing policies, conducting activities, and acting on initiatives and stuff," he said.

The manager framed his approach around focusing the organization on a clear set of goals and "deliver[ing] on their strategic priorities." He said he is meeting with departments and community members to learn local priorities and to assess how the organization can deliver services "as well as we possibly can." He added, "Every single person, 1,800 plus people that work in this organization, are doing the best they possibly can to provide them the best services they possibly can."

Cowell described the current stage as an evaluation and listening period rather than a time for policy decisions. He said he expects his vision to evolve as he learns more from staff, the mayor and commission, and residents. "I'm sure as I go along, I'll have a a vision for what we, could become as a community, what we could become as an organization," he said.

The remarks included no formal votes or new directives. Cowell said he looks forward to "getting out in the community and hearing from more folks about what it is that they want us to do" and to becoming "a part of the community" while serving as manager.

Next steps Cowell identified are department evaluations and continued meetings with the mayor, commission and community to clarify priorities and how ACCGov can implement them.