This is a newspaper article that is going to run in the local paper soon. For those of you that dont know what I do, I thought it was pretty flattering. I really am not this nice! A 60 minute morning drive to work from eastern Colorado marks the start of Pamela Smith’s day. “Even though I don’t live in Monument I do all my grocery, personal and recreational shopping here whenever possible. I also make a point to buy my auto gas here which, considering I drive over 100 miles a day, is no small deal!” Smith is the Town of Monument’s new Town Manager. Her time is split between the town she helps to run and the family ranch she helps to manage. The differences between the office life of a bureaucrat and the country life of a ranch manager might seem completely disconnected, or even incompatible, for some. But for Smith they’re not that different. “Managing the ranch is outdoors and you get to work with animals and nature. But the basics are the same: you have to plan your work and work your plan.” She applied for the position of Town Treasurer in Monument in April of 2005. Ready for a change, she interviewed only to find out that it was an interim position and the Town was still looking for a permanent Treasurer. She took a chance and was appointed permanent Treasurer after only 90 days in the interim position. “I was given the job not only because of my financial background, but because of my HR and management experience and, oddly enough, because I did NOT have any government experience.” Her work ethic and private sector experience paid off for a small town that needed to make every dollar and every employee really count. For the next 8 years she fulfilled the duties of Town Treasurer, HR Director, Risk Manager and IT Manager. In January of 2013 lightning struck a second time. The previous Town Manager resigned and Smith was appointed Interim Town Manager while the Board of Trustees decided how to proceed. She was appointed Town Manager after 4 months of acting as Interim Town Manager. Her first year has been positive and her private sector experience is serving her well. “Management is management, no matter what discipline you are following. The biggest challenge and reward of being a manager is cultivating a culture of excellence in your staff.” The comment may seem canned – the kind of cliché any manager might lean on when they’re put on the spot. But this is a challenge Smith seems to have been waiting for, and her staff can testify to her sincerity. “Pam is a great boss and she takes care of her employees” says Cynthia Sirochman, current Town Clerk and HR Director. Shannon Lacey, a Town Hall employee, says “Pam is a wonderful boss. She takes very good care of her employees and is great at making decisions that are in the best interest of everyone.” In fact, we couldn’t find anyone dissatisfied with Smith’s performance. From Police to Public Works, she seems to have good working relationships with everyone. An intern we spoke with who worked with Pam this summer summed it up this way: “Pam thinks of government work as a means of service. It’s not just a job for her, it’s a responsibility to the citizens and one she is passionate about.” Her secrets to success and popularity? “Patience, empathy, active listening. The ability to think before you speak and to understand the full ramifications of what you say and do. Act with integrity and understand that there are not only two sides to every issue, but sometimes 3, 4 or 5.” Smith, the Directors and Staff of the Town have a long list of projects and improvements they are working on to make the Town the best it can be. With the assistance and approval of the current Board, great things are happening and will continue to happen with the support and advice of the Citizens of the Town of Monument. This
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 03:32:38 +0000
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