New Joliet City Manager David Hales Aims To Please Residents

JOLIET, IL - After several months without a permanent leader at Joliet City Hall, David Hales has arrived in Joliet. He started his new job on Monday as city manager, hoping to bring the city stability, visionary thinking and expertise. As head of the city, Hales becomes Joliet's highest paid city official, drawing a starting salary of $215,000. Hales sat down with Joliet Patch on Monday afternoon to talk about his general plans for his new job. On Wednesday night, the Joliet City Council holds a special meeting to review its proposed 2018 city budget.

Hales promised to make economic development a high priority during his tenure. The 63-year-old Hales was given a three-year employment contract. He comes to Joliet from Bloomington where he worked the past nine years as city manager. Joliet officials were impressed by Hales' performance in Bloomington, a city that had several economic development successes during Hales' tenure there. The expectations for Hales at Joliet, the state's third largest city, should be high.

"I want to say how much of a privilege and an honor it is to be the city manager for the city of Joliet," Hales told Joliet Patch. "They have been the envy of many cities."

Hales has more than 25 years experience as a city manager across the country. He said it's essential for Joliet to have a strategic plan for infrastructure improvements as well as capital needs related to its buildings.

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"I want to make sure we have a long-term financial plan. Instead of focusing on every twelve months, let's look out three to five years," Hales said.

Hales said that public safety will be another key component of his leadership. He plans to have a close relationship with Joliet's police chief and fire chief. He wants Joliet to have a reputation as being a safe city and for having a police force that the community can trust.

"Public safety is always going to be a No. 1 priority," Hales vowed.

Hales inherits a situation where Joliet's downtown is in the midst of a resurgence, but downtown still has a ways to go. "Economic development is going to be a critical part of our long-term (planning)," Hales said. "What don't we have? What do we need to do retain businesses we have?"

For years, Joliet City Hall has been a place where rank and file city employees made great salaries, got excellent benefits and there was little, if any, accountability. Hales does not sound like the kind of city manager who will tolerate slackers taking up space at City Hall.

Hales wants to create a "plan to achieve organizational excellence." He also said he wants city staff to be accountable.

He wants employees "committed to continuous improvement. How can we provide excellent results at an economical cost? What are we doing or what can we do to constantly improve?" Hales asked.

Hales does not want to be the type of city manager who is constantly holed up inside his office. He wants be personable and become a familiar face in the Joliet community.

Hales promised to have a regular presence at city events, neighborhood association meetings and he plans to be active in the business community.

"I put a high priority on attending meetings with the public and neighborhoods to hear from them what's working and what's not," he said. "What suggestions do they have for the city of Joliet?"

So what will happen three years from now? Will Joliet find itself searching for another city manager when Hales' contract expires?

"I would certainly like to stay as long as I can make a great contribution," Hales said, adding that he is open to remaining with Joliet longer than three years.

"The bottom line, this is going to become home for me and my wife. My wife is looking forward to hopefully selling our home in Bloomington (soon) and hoping to find a permanent home to be up here on a permanent basis."

Images via Joliet Patch Editor John Ferak