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Former city IT director on the surprise of limited time for single issues in council role
Summary
Chris Zak, who previously led the city's IT department, told Mayor Mary Robichaud that one major adjustment to elected office is having far less time to focus on a single issue than he did as a department director.
Chris Zak said a key surprise after moving from a department director role to an elected council seat was the limited opportunity to concentrate on a single issue. "I think the biggest surprise is... the amount of time you have to focus on anything and 1 thing is is so few and far between," he said, describing the difference in responsibilities between staff and council.
Zak told the host that as a department head he routinely sought council direction and attempted to demonstrate departmental value, while as a council member he must be intentional about priorities because the role is one among many competing duties. That shift, he said, has changed how he approaches decision-making and follow-up with staff.
