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Health & Fitness

Making Southington Great: The Heart of Its Citizens and Visionary Leadership

Today, Southington Heartbeat begins a series about our town government, its major institutions and its people who have brought the town to greatness. 

Objective: To increase awareness of town citizens, residences and of those operating their professional enterprises in Southington. 

Our first post in this blog series is based on conversations with Southington Town Manager, Garry Brumback. Essentially the discussions set out to talk about the goals of the past two years, how the town has progressed and the outlook for the next year.   

A bit of relevant history: Southington adopted a Council-Manager form of government in 1966 with a full-time professional town manager reporting to a Town Council of nine citizens elected by the voters for two year terms who serve without pay as do all town elected and appointed board officials. 

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Garry Brumback was hired as Town Manager by the Town of Southington in January 2011. Brumback succeeded the late John Weichsel who served in that position for 47 years. 

Focused on Town progress, achievements and any disappointments, Brumback highlighted the town’s accomplishments of the past 2-1/2 years, particularly in areas designated as priority objectives after an initial evaluation of the town’s operations, infrastructure, communications, technology, customer service, and financial planning and management.

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Positive, spontaneous and well-versed in details of all areas discussed, Brumback commented on the town’s positive achievements and disappointments, Brumback said, “Far and away I believe the positives have exceeded the negatives.  Among the positives I have to rank as # 1, the technology upgrades and resident outreach, and # 2, the road improvement referendum and projects. The only real negative has been the challenges with the Waste Water Treatment Plant with the breakdown of the digesters and the slow progress on the facilities plan. They are moving forward but have taken longer than anyone had hoped.”  

Speaking of infrastructure work accomplished since approval of last year’s $11 million capital improvements referendum, Brumback said, “Progress has been adequate though not as great as hoped for because sub-surface and infrastructure obstacles had been underestimated. But, our approach in road rebuilding and maintenance has been to complete the work correctly, not just fast. So, we did not ignore the subsurface issues. Instead we attended to them properly in order to provide twenty years plus utilization. It’s important to note that nothing in past memory approaches the comprehensive scope of this project. This winter, when we’re not in a physical construction mode, we’ll be using video and similar sub-structural equipment for optimum readiness for work in the spring”. 

With respect to work completed to date, Brumback told us that all of the cracked sealing on roads has been completed on 36 different streets and that the work is 3/4 finished in milling and overlaying of significant road projects for this year.  By the end of 2013, he said, finish layers and striping will all be done on these roads. Belleview Avenue, where we encountered unforeseen issues,is now completed and Marion Avenue is the final street planned for completion this year. 

 "A data tracking system of ongoing road construction, from start to completion and inspection, is a great compass for managing progress.  Highway operations have continued on schedule through construction, essentially unhampered by road renewal", Brumback said. "We did mobilize some sub-contractors to minimize disruptions.", he added.

 By the end of 2014, roads identified this winter will be completed. “The completed project will be a good start towards our continued capital improvement goals as we’ll be ready to show the investment was wisely and well used. We’ll then present to the Town Council, and with their approval, a referendum to the voters for the second construction iteration of the plan.” Brumback said. The target date for the referendum is November 2015.

Completed a year ago, the Southington Municipal Center is functioning efficiently. On the lower level are located the town’s Planning & Zoning, Economic Development, Engineering and Building Departments and a spacious new meeting chamber off the entry foyer.  The upper level is occupied by the Board of Education and School Superintendent’s administrative offices plus the town’s Health and Youth Services Departments.  With a few final touches soon to be completed, the facility is a paradigm of efficiency, a comfortable work environment and a customer/visitor friendly ambiance.  

Remaining departments at Town Hall have been situated to effect more efficient daily operations. Refitting needs are almost finished except for some window, air-conditioning and painting work, awaiting a grant.  Town Hall is only 1/3 mile away from the municipal town center where ample parking and street access ensure a smooth and easy flow of visitors and staff.

Bottom line, the conversion of the old North Center School to a brand new facility has enhanced efficiency, relieved congestion at Town Hall while providing needed space for the B.O.E. and Superintendent’s administrative offices.

We will soon bring you the second segment of our conversations with Town Manager, Garry Brumback which will be followed by interviews with other town leaders committed to best business practices in adherence to efficient progress and management. 

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