Stefan Chatwin

Full-Service City Population: 35,000 FTE: 180 General Fund: $65 million

• Directed executive leadership efforts to enhance operational stability and employee engagement.: After several years of high turnover and uncertainty within the City Manager’s Office and Executive Management Team, established core values of Leadership, Integrity, and Teamwork while rebuilding an organization through targeted recruiting and training.
• Linked the structure of the team to specific operational strategies and priorities and introduced a metrics system to measure specific outcomes.
• Established active chain of leadership, enabling employees at all levels to provide feedback, engage in strategic process, and take ownership in their responsibilities.
• Re-engaged past key leaders and staff who left prior to my tenure while attracting new members during a challenging hiring environment.
• Changed our Economic Development efforts from a transactional approach to one driven by strategy, relationships, and long-term financial stability.
• Instituted various programs through the City Manager’s office focused on strengthening existing partnerships while establishing new relationships with our business community and important job centers. Greater appreciation for the symbiotic type of relationship that should exist between local government and business.
• Established new senior management training programs focusing on effective leadership, accountability, transparency, communication, and process improvement.
• Installed new leadership within various departments and divisions with renewed emphasis on efficiency and citizen service while correcting training deficiencies and eliminating multiple long-standing poor and unethical practices.

Full-Service City Population: 120,000 FTE: 600 General Fund: $130 million

• After an extensive analysis of organizational performance, established a new culture of operational efficiency and effectiveness with defined objectives and community expectations.
• Shepherded the City and its staff through the uncertainty and challenges of a global pandemic while avoiding a reduction in force and shifting the methods of delivery of services.
• Rebuilt departments including Police, Homeless Services, Community Development, Information Technology, Communications, and Parks and Recreation to enhance operational effectiveness and service delivery. The new streamlined organizational structure has helped better define expectations while improving coordination and communication between departments and with the City Council.
• Worked closely with VisitFairfield.com, the Jelly Belly Candy Company, Fairfield Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Theatre Foundation for the Arts, and various other partners in promoting tourism and economic recovery amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Renegotiated outdated contracts and implemented effective recruiting practices, attracting new job centers and increasing revenue streams.
• Reimagined and redeveloped old and tired retail centers such as the downtown corridor, auto mall, and regional retail mall. New opportunities and a more sustainable future.
• Staff Leadership Development with a focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Created a culture of accessible management encompassing all levels of leadership with a focus on greater diversity.
• Focused on proactive recruiting and eliminated bias in sourcing and screening, resulting in a balanced slate of finalists during the interview process.
• Created an employee panel which helped implement effective diversity and inclusion training throughout the organization, yet specific to each individual department’s needs.
• Made needed adjustments and reallocations due to COVID-19 crisis ensuring City remained in the black and fluid during a period of decreased revenues.
• Instituting greater citizen participation in budget process through the establishment of a Citizen Budget Advisory Committee and effective management of the Measure P Advisory Committee.
• Established effective processes of community outreach and City Council communication. A more initiative-taking approach of pushing the City’s narrative and telling the story rather than solely reacting to unwelcome news or requests for information.

Full-Service City Population: 20,000 FTE: 75 General Fund: $20 million

• Established fiscally prudent practices and a culture of transparency.
• Conducted complete overhaul of budget processes, programs, priorities, and initiatives after assuming responsibility for a mismanaged budget process with poor controls.
• New revenue sources identified, wasteful spending eliminated, misallocations corrected, operational efficiencies improved, fund balances and investment pools restored, allocation of resources reprioritized, state financial audits completed and compliant, and investment in infrastructure and technology increased.
• Established mitigation plan for deficiencies in water and wastewater treatment, securing 28-million-dollar capital investment for facility upgrades.
• Worked in conjunction with multiple external agencies and organizations to fund and build storm water and retention basin expansions, various other parks and open space projects, multiple streets and right-a-way improvements, and a multi-million-dollar transit park and facility.
• Realigned strategies for economic stability and proactively shifted focus in anticipation of changing markets.
• Created comprehensive Economic Development Plan that identified opportunities aligned with Imperial’s culture and strengths, proactively recruiting to those opportunities.

• Developed and managed contracts for services, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Developed and implemented road, park, and infrastructure management systems to enhance community services.
• Facilitated training programs to improve employee performance.: Implemented several new training and testing programs.
• Represented the City in discussions with community organizations and stakeholders. Frequent invited guest and panel member representing the City’s positions to chambers of commerce, real estate and business associations, economic development boards, and many other organizations.

• Conducted analysis and feasibility study of wastewater treatment facility to assess operational potential and community impact.
• Implemented innovative solutions to enhance operational efficiency.
• Developed an improved centralized water system.
• Created General Plan recognized by APA and local organizations for innovation and cultural preservation, aligning community growth with unique identity.

• Program Management: Managed over 40 parks and open spaces, enhancing community access to thousands of acres of landscaped gardens and irrigated turf.
• Directed and managed one of the state’s largest annual community celebrations as Executive Director and Business Manager.
• Collaborative Management: Coordinated activities and venues with Salt Lake Winter Olympics’ Committee, leading celebrations and events that engaged the City of Ogden community.
• Strategic Planning: Developed a successful business plan for the City’s faltering golf course division.
• Overhauled Animal Control Division, improving operational efficiency and service delivery.

• Hill AFB, UT; Tyndall AFB, FL; McGuire AFB, NJ