Improving Relations with Public Officials

We frequently hear of the benefits of good communication. One important benefit for road managers is to improve relationships with elected officials, boards of selectmen, city councils, town councils, or whomever. These strategies will help keep lines of communication open between the road manager and other officials:

• Keep elected officials informed
• Act as a team
• Help board members to look competent
• Stay out of campaigns
• Be friendly with board members
• Define departmental responsibilities

Keep Elected Officials Informed. This is the first step to improve relationships with governing bodies. Sheldon Morgan, Public Works Director in Gilford and Master Road Scholar, said, "I keep the Board appraised of Public Works operations through attending their meetings and by supplying them with monthly progress reports on various projects. Keeping them informed is the best tactic to use."

James Wheeler of Berlin reinforced this idea; "It’s our job to properly educate elected officials so that they can make informed decisions. With that as the primary objective, we need to communicate facts with honesty, integrity, etc. Communication is key. You may not always be able to tell them what they want to hear. However, as long as it is honest and is backed up with facts, they will respect you. Respect is what you want. An elected official can respect you and still not like you. That situation is much better than the reverse."

Act As a Team. The highway manager and board of selectmen are a team, working together to improve their community. As with any good team, compromise is essential. Team members must often negotiate to a mutually agreeable outcome. When road managers and elected officials make joint decisions, they should stand together as a team when the decision is announced. They should determine together what the message should be. Road managers should allow the board to pass on good news to the citizens.

Help board members to look competent. Ensuring board and council members look competent is critical to the road manager’s success. Highway managers can do this by keeping the board informed and by being available to answer questions. As elected officials, board members will be more supportive if they understand what the highway department is doing. Informed Board and Council members will be more apt to vote with the highway department.

Elected officials dislike surprises, particularly when they find out about highway department actions from the public. They appear foolish and often blame the Road Agent or Public Works Director.

Highway managers should help all Board and Council members. Highway department managers look competent by supporting whole governing boards to do their job effectively. If there is a disagreement, disagree in private.

When an elected official turns over a complaint to the highway department, the manager must treat it with importance. When the complaint is resolved, the highway manager should let the referring official take the credit. If it cannot be resolved to the citizen’s satisfaction, the highway manager should provide a thorough explanation.

Stay out of political campaigns. Whether appointed or elected, road managers are municipal employees and public servants. Traditionally, government officials remain neutral in elections. In addition, if the candidate the road manager lobbies for loses, they then end up working for the opponent.

Be friendly with board members. This helps to breakdown stereotypes of highway employees. Mike Bobinsky, the former Director of Community Services in Dover, said he "invites city officials to special events such as Public Works Week events, lunches, retirement parties, etc… The Council needs to see employees and officials of DPW in the same light as they would view a police or fire operation."

Department heads should invite elected officials to functions where they associate with managers and crews as people. Functions with family members are especially effective. Even if officials cannot attend, or stay for a very short period of time, they will appreciate the gesture.

Define Department Responsibilities. Clear department policies effectively define responsibilities.

When policies are established and followed, the board and public know what to expect from the highway department. If there is ever a question as to why something was done in a particular way, everyone, from a selectmen to a part-time seasonal employee, can point at a policy as a standard of operation.

Policy development can itself improve relations with elected officials and the public. As a decision making tool, policy creation allows the focus to be on an issue rather than on a particular incident or person.

Established job descriptions provide the same benefits as having written policies. The board and employee know what is expected of them without any gray areas.

Other Practical Advice

If a Road Manager is having difficulties with their board, these steps can change the situation. Clear two-way communication fixes many problems. Road managers should also talk to road managers in surrounding communities. They can often offer a few pointers to make life easier. The following are examples.

Before bringing a proposal before a Board or Council, the road manager should consider the likelihood of it passing. If slim, they should use the time to lay the groundwork. For example, they can take board members into the field to see problems. If this isn’t possible, they can take slides or a video to show the board. Pictures can help to make a case. They can invite "experts" to speak in favor of the proposal. A concerned citizen or salesperson can be a strong ally.

Mangers should be aware of the public perception of the highway department. Richard Lee, the Road Agent in New London and Selectman in Milan, suggests that equipment is kept clean and employees look busy. He said, "citizens like it when you care for your equipment and it doesn’t look good to allow employees to lean on shovels." Also to maintain a good relationship with New London Selectmen, he keeps them informed of happenings in the highway department. He keeps paperwork up to date so he can answer questions as they arise.

Chum Cleverly, a Master Road Scholar and the Director of Public Works in Bow, said, "Don’t take anything a Selectmen says personally. Try to look at things from their point of view whether you agree or not. Try to have all your ducks in a row, and keep them informed."

Chum writes a lot of memos to his Board. Then, when a citizen questions a board member, the board member is informed. This makes them look good and they appreciate it. He also suggests being specific when explaining needs of the highway department. Explain the costs of repairs and how doing something will benefit the town. Also, he suggests that road managers write and maintain good notes.

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