NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — New Hutchinson City Manager Kendal Francis sees his job as helping all levels of city employees, both managers and rank and file, do theirs.
"I've told the team here basically, through a group email, that I've done a lot of the things I'll be asking of them. You know, I've been out in the middle of the night in a water break, freezing my rear end off. I have empathy for those people who are out there doing that, who are serving their community in that regard. Now that I've transitioned into administration, there is a balance of making certain that, first and foremost, we are transparent, because that's immensely important. I never want the council to be surprised."
It's also important that anyone who the public might ask a question of knows as much as they can know.
"Just because employees work for the City of Hutch, doesn't mean that they always know what's going on in the City of Hutchinson. I'm intentional about getting out and talking to the employees. I like to do a lot of town hall style meetings with the departments, where I get out and visit with them as a whole, just a question and answer, you know, here's what's going on, here's why we're doing this."
When Francis talks about his management style, he thinks of the sign made for the desk of former President Truman, 'The Buck Stops Here'.
"I'll be the one that takes the slings and arrows," Francis said. "I need my executive team to be focused on managing the day to day operations of their departments. My job is that buffer, not only between them and the community, but them and the governing body."
He still wants leaders and the employees to know the correct answers if they are asked and to be able to do that without excessive anxiety, so it is his job to make sure they know what they need to know.
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