New Ferndale city manager ready to work with eye on government efficiency

FERNDALE – The brand new metropolis supervisor of Ferndale stated she is able to go to work.

On 10 February, the Ferndale metropolis council authorized the collection of Colleen O’Toole as the subsequent metropolis supervisor. Her contract was formally authorized by the council throughout her assembly of 24 February.

Compensation between town of Ferndale and O’tolle was agreed at $ 166,272.

O’Toole has already began town half -time as a result of she and her spouse welcomed their third youngster and he or she is with parental depart. Her first full day can be March 10.

O’Toole is aware of Ferndale since she first moved to Michigan and noticed it as a hospitable neighborhood with an excellent status. It’s one thing she saved in thoughts whereas making use of for the place of the open metropolis supervisor.

“That’s one thing that I’m searching for as an expert for communities that match my core values, and in order that the service I do has the sensation that I even have a private relationship with it,” she instructed The Woodward Discuss. “Undoubtedly I can not consider a greater neighborhood than Ferndale to tailor my private pursuits and values ​​to these of the neighborhood.”

O’Toole involves Ferndale from Saline, the place she was town supervisor since December 2020. Earlier than that she was town supervisor in Durand for 3 years.

She was chosen for the present assistant metropolis supervisor and former interim metropolis supervisor, James Krizan, who has confirmed his intention to remain in Ferndale.

“I am not going wherever,” he stated. “I’m 100% dedicated to town.”

Krizan is happy to work with O’Toole on future issues and to assist her if she is acclimatized to Ferndale.

“I might assume that we each deliver numerous strengths to the connection and town,” he stated. “I’ve been underneath my belt for a yr now, so I’ve some expertise within the metropolis that may assist her when she begins constructing relationships inside the neighborhood and with employees. Everyone seems to be totally different, so I’m positive that we’ll discover precisely the place we match collectively, for positive. “

In her interview course of, O’Toole spoke about future points that Ferndale has on the Horizon, together with the upcoming Headlee restauration scillage -mood and commerce union contracts. She acknowledged that tips on how to function an area authorities effectively is essential to her and one thing that at the moment has numerous consideration.

“There’s at the moment numerous consideration for presidency actions and authorities effectivity, good or unhealthy, irrespective of the way you select to have a look at it, however that’s positively a robust swimsuit of mine. Perception into the monetary results of our applications and the fiduciary duty that we have now in opposition to residents to ship probably the most impactful programming and coverage could be very a lot in my wheelhouse, “stated O’Toole.

“I might positively say that these two issues (the Headlee Millage and commerce union contracts) are very, very near the highest of my record, in addition to solely our lead service line substitute program,” she continued. “That’s one other venture that can be very costly in the course of the lifetime of this system, and we have to be good about how we try for that change. There are lots of lead providers in Ferndale, and we have now the duty for residents to make sure that we have now a transparent and constant plan for the way we are going to assist deal with these replacements. “

O’Toole additionally commented on what Ferndale has to supply as a neighborhood.

“There’s a lot to construct right here, and it’s actually an opportunity to point out not solely Southeast -Michigan, but additionally the state and the nation, what sort of neighborhood we may be to proceed with our values ​​and to place individuals first after we make selections,” she stated.