KIRKSVILLE, MO -- The City of Kirksville has a new assistant city manager. Monday marked the first full week of new job responsibilities of former Community Services Director Melanie Smith. Smith officially took over the title on Friday, March 11. In addition to the new position, Smith will continue to head the Parks and Recreation Department as well as remain the liaison for public information.
“I’m not sure what the biggest challenge is” Smith said. “I think just balancing everything because I think it’s really important to me that I don’t let Parks and Recreation and Public Information, which I have been doing, drop by the way side just because I have new things that I’m working on. So I think that’ll be the biggest challenge is kind of figuring out where all those things balance out and still giving the time deserved to each one of those areas.”
Smith is hoping the new position will help excel in her involvement with city government.
“I think the biggest change for my job responsibilities is I’m going to be a little more involved with economic development; so community development, block grants, paperwork that goes between us and the Department of Economic Development and the state” Smith said. “I’m also going to have some special projects that I’ll be working on from time to time.”
One of Smith’s first goals will be hiring a vacancy which will help make their department run more proficiently.
“We’re changing the job description a little bit since it won’t report directly to the city manager or report to me. I really have a small team; I just have myself and two people right now so I’m taking the administrative assistant under me as well as the new position so we’re kind of restructuring.”
Smith is hoping if they work as a team rather than individuals they will be able to get more work accomplished.
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