City of Henderson issued the following announcement on Jan. 3
Whatever has happened within City of Henderson government – and the city itself – in three-plus decades, John Stroud has probably been in the middle of it in some way.
Designing and constructing city projects, large and small, from Commonwealth Drive and Corporate Court to Red Banks Park and the ever-popular River Walk.
Working with the Planning Commission on hundreds of projects, reviewing countless new developments in the process.
Inspecting miles and miles and miles of roadway, sidewalks, storm sewers, sanitary sewers and water lines.
Being an aggressive advocate for removing blighted property, and working with other city staff members to create a code enforcement board that has helped with that issue.
Answering countless phone calls from people with complaints about neighbors and/or property concerns.
And on, and on, and on.
After all this, Stroud’s retirement from the City of Henderson Codes Department takes effect Dec. 31.
“It has been a continuous merry-go-round of people and items, all interesting in their own way,” said Stroud, who has most recently served as the city’s code inspector, but who has also put his skills to work in the engineering department, in public works and as code administrator.
He’s worked for six mayors (Bill Newman, Glen Johnson, Joan Hoffman, Tom Davis, Henry Lackey and Steve Austin).
He’s worked for six city managers (Russell Sights in two separate tenures, Charlie Lynn, Jeff Broughton, Ben Saag and Buzzy Newman) and several interim city managers as well as more than 20 city commissioners.
Current City Manager Buzzy Newman has specific memories of Stroud and his abilities going back to their college days at Murray State University in the early 1980s.
“We had a couple of classes together. One is particular was a course in planeometrics,” Newman recalls. “Most of the class was lost due to the abstract nature, but John ended up helping his fellow classmates get through the course, including me.”
After working in Murray, Ky., for a time period after college, Stroud, who is originally from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and his wife Linda “wanted to get back closer to her family” in Henderson.
That’s what set Stroud down a long road of public projects, public improvement and public relations.
Because a lot of his job has been about that last thing: Persuading citizens with a problem (or citizens with a tendency not to handle a matter that could be a problem for their neighbors) that a public entity such as a city isn’t trying to be “the bad guy.” Rules and ordinances about property issues can be on the books for many reasons, including public safety and community vitality.
As part of his job, Stroud said he worked hard to maintain good relations with builders, but that wasn’t so hard.
“The harder part was telling someone they had to deal with a derelict or abandoned property. You have to have a good demeanor and explain to them why,” he said.
And when builders or developers wanted to do something that really wasn’t allowed by code, Stroud would work hard to find a solution that could be acceptable to all.
He doesn’t like the term “business unfriendly.” Often it is used unfairly by someone who simply doesn’t get everything they want.
It’s a hard label to shake, but Stroud believes the development process has definitely improved immensely through his years with the city.
These days when a developer brings a project to the table for discussion, he is joined by all the city departments and local utilities that might be involved so that everyone is available to talk through potential problems or issues.
He said the developers who are very active love it. The ones who complain about the steps required to get a project off the ground are typically less active, he added.
“John has been a steady force during his tenure with the city and has touched almost every sector of the city,” Buzzy Newman said. “His strongest attribute is his institutional knowledge, which is something that will be missed. I have always said, don’t test his knowledge because he is right 99 percent of the time.
“II wish him the best in his next phase of life whatever that may bring,” Newman added.
Stroud said working with and encouraging developers has been enjoyable and so has working with many people across city departments.
He’s witnessed the creation of community vision plans and downtown master plans, including the most recent ones completed by collaborative community groups.
“Each time a little something more comes out of it,” Stroud said. “Our central business district needs to be thriving with restaurants, entertainment and business. We need to get back to our core. If you revitalize downtown and have a strong core the rest will follow.”
Stroud said he doesn’t plan to leave Henderson.
“We’ve lived in a large city and lived in a small city. We’re about the right size,” he said. “We are two to three hours from everything else you’d ever want to do except Alabama football games.
“But we love Henderson,” he added.
Besides, he might have another stopover on his public service highway.
“In the future, I may enjoy serving citizens of Henderson in some other capacity,” Stroud said. “The story may not yet be over.”
Original source can be found here.
Source: City of Henderson
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