Carolyn, Springfield City's community development director, outlines role managing codes, planning and tourism

Carolyn, the community development director for Springfield City, said she manages the city's codes department and oversees tourism as well as planning and zoning.

"I am the community development director, which means that I manage the codes department," Carolyn said. She added, "I manage tourism and, planning and zoning," describing the principal responsibilities of her office.

Explaining how she summarizes the job, Carolyn cited three words. "Maps," she said, and added, "Look at a lot of maps," listing zoning maps and property viewers as tools she uses to help residents understand permissible uses of their property. On daily tasks she said, "Problem solving," noting that people frequently bring land-use problems or seek guidance. She also emphasized relationships: "Relationships... Super important," referring to interactions with the public, city hall teams and her own department.

The conversation also noted routine project work and coordination: Carolyn said she was "sending an email to a project manager following up on a meeting we had via Teams yesterday," indicating ongoing interagency or contractor coordination.

On a personal note, Carolyn named the Downtown Square as her favorite place in Springfield City, saying, "Love everything in the square." The interview was short and informal and did not include any formal policy votes or administrative actions.

The interview provides a concise portrait of the community development director's responsibilities and daily focus: interpreting maps and zoning, resolving property-related issues, and maintaining relationships across city staff and the public. No decisions or changes to city policy were raised during the exchange.