ALACHUA – During the July 28 City of Alachua commission meeting, commissioners voted unanimously to extend City Manager Traci Cain's contract for another four years to September 2018. Her current contract was set to expire on Sept. 30 of this year.
Cain began her career at Santa Fe College prior to joining the city in January 1992 as a fiscal assistant. She was promoted to Utility Billing Supervisor and has since served as Human Resources Director, Assistant City Manager, Interim City Manager (twice) and was appointed as City Manager in March 2010. She has also served under five city managers during her time with the city and says she has learned a lot from each one.
“One of the things that I appreciate about Traci is that she has done several different jobs at City Hall,” said Mayor Gib Coerper. “The knowledge and experience a person gets by doing that is incredible. She has built on what she's learned in those positions and has a great understanding of what it takes to do many of the employees' jobs, which is extremely helpful,” he said.
“Traci took over at a time when the city was in dire financial straits,” said Commissioner Ben Boukari, Jr. Due to the economic downturn and other factors, the city was facing several financial obstacles. “We needed to make some changes,” said Boukari.
Cain said her first audit report alerted her to specific financial concerns that needed immediate attention. With each successive year, our city's audit reports have improved dramatically, said Boukari. “Under her leadership, the city is in much better financial shape and is growing responsibly,” he said.
Clearly her first goal was to strengthen the financial condition of the city and provide financial solvency. “The economy was impacting the government and the city had financial challenges to overcome,” said Cain.
Cain immediately cut the budget and made sure the city's utility rates were competitive. “The city had not raised water and wastewater rates in 16 years at that time, but the costs were going up each year,” she said. “We needed to have all of our utility funds be self-sustaining, which they currently are.”
Since that time, a lot has changed. Under her leadership, the city has managed to set their millage rate at 5.5 mills for the fifth consecutive year. “We have not raised taxes, but have managed to reinvest in our infrastructure and continue to enhance the quality of life for our citizens,” she said.
In the past few years the city has been able to build a new wastewater treatment facility, make upgrades to the electrical substation, resurface roads and provide road reconstruction projects like the one just completed in front of City Hall at 142nd Terrace and 150th Avenue. The city has also purchased 105 acres of land adjacent to the Hal Brady Recreation Complex to provide for future expansion of the city's recreation facilities.
Another feather in the city's cap is that they have promoted good economic development. “We are making sure the city is a player and is involved in all levels of economic development throughout the state,” said Cain. She believes economic development is critical to the long-term health of the city.
Cain credits a good commission and her excellent staff for the improved condition of the city.
“This is a team effort,” she said. “We are not satisfied with the status quo. We have to provide excellent customer service to our citizens and continue to invest in our infrastructure if we are to continue to attract more businesses and residents to our city,” said Cain.
According to commissioners, Cain continues this team concept into other aspects of her job. “Traci could have asked for and probably received salary increases,” said Boukari. “Instead, she sticks to whatever the employees get. If they get a cost of living increase, then she does. But she doesn't believe she should be rewarded when the employees aren't eligible for the same rewards,” he said. “That's pretty admirable.”
Her contract calls for a continued salary of $118,500. Her starting salary as city manager was $111,500.
“I can't be successful without the employees,” said Cain. “We have all made sacrifices to get the city in a better financial situation. I can't take credit for doing that and not see them get the same rewards knowing they have sacrificed as well,” she said.
Regarding her future goals for the city, Cain said one goal would be to work toward diversifying the retail opportunities for citizens so the city is self-sufficient. She would also like to see city services continue to grow with the technology age to enable the city to deliver faster, more efficient services to its citizens.
By April 2018, the 46-year-old says she will have 30 years in with the state and will be eligible to retire. She says she plans to do so, which is why she did not ask the commission for a longer contract extension.
“It has been great working at the city,” said Cain. “To be born and raised here and be in this position is humbling and makes me very proud,” she said.
“The financial future of this city is strong. With the direction of the commission and the commitment of the staff, I believe the city will continue to grow in a responsible manner and offer its citizens a great place to live and work,” she said.
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If you canoed the Sante Fe River last weekend taking advantage of the long holiday, you might have been floating alongside of world-renowned cave diver Rick Stanton.