Q&A: Tom Chufar Reflects on Director of Utilities and Services Position

Tom Chufar, director of utilities and services, will serve his last day as a city employee Saturday.

As superintendent of utilities, service and recreation, Chufar handled everything from sanitary and storm water, street operations like salting and plowing, and parks and recreation.

Chufar, a firm believer in a hard day's work, talked to North Canton Patch about his plans after retirement (you won't catch him taking it easy) and his time spent with the city.

North Canton Patch: All of those job responsibilities ... It seems like a lot to take on for one person! How long have you been doing all this?

Tom Chufar: It’s basically been three and a half years. Prior to this I was the operation manager, just in the sanitary sewer department, for seven years. Prior to that I was in water distribution. Basically that’s what my city career’s been.

North Canton Patch: You’ve obviously played several roles in North Canton, but what did you like most about your years with the city?

Chufar: I really enjoy — and it’s always a cliche — working with the public. I like to find what’s a proper resolution. It’s easy to just say “Yeah, we’ll fix it.” But you have to be very, very aware that you’re doing things that are allowed, because we are governed by ordinances. And if you get outside of the ordinances, you just opened up not just the administrator or the mayor or the council to what looks like indiscriminate decisions, but it doesn’t look good for "neighbor to neighbor." And you have to treat everybody fairly. That’s what I’ve tried to do. Whether I was their direct boss to the people who’ve worked for me the past three and a half or four years, or if they were beside me. … I try to make sure everyone’s treated the same.

North Canton Patch: When you’re dealing one on one with the people of North Canton, what kind of responses do you get?

Chufar: I think it’s been fairly positive. I really do. Obviously you’re not going to make everybody happy, but I think the biggest thing is, when people truly understand the reason why you’re making those decisions, then it makes it easier for them to understand why sometimes we had to say no. That’s why I’ve tried to always be open and honest and fair with them.

North Canton Patch: Tell me about some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced and how you overcame them. And I would guess you’ve seen a lot of different things here?

Chufar: The biggest challenge for anybody in the public service sector, as a government employee, No. 1, is trying to have people understand why you’re making those decisions. Sometimes it’s hard to get the cooperation of people (because) everyone has a different point of view. Doesn’t matter if it’s a councilperson. It could even be the mayor or the administrator. Nobody’s going to always agree. Sometimes those have been the hardest things to try to understand and try to work with. Spirit of cooperation is paramount. If you don’t have cooperation, I don’t care how good your team is, you’re not going to win. Winning can work when everybody pulls their oars together.

North Canton Patch: As a resident of North Canton, you’re still going to be affected by these government decisions.

Chufar: Absolutely. I really don’t plan on going anywhere. My roots are pretty darn solid. I haven’t made any decision as to what I’m going to do. I’ve spoken with quite a few people about different opportunities. Mostly I think I’m going to look at probably my own business as a consultant, whether it’s to a resident or a business or real estate people — people who are interested in finding out what different impacts have happened to them and finding a resolution for them.

North Canton Patch: What has it been about this community that’s made you want to stay here?

Chufar: It’s a very nice community. There’s a lot of endearment toward the older folks here. But some of the younger people I’ve coached over the years. So I know a lot of the people on both sides — people who were mentors to me and people I’ve been a mentor to. I think it’s nice to stay in one area and learn it and explore it and love it, but the other side is: “Will I be here forever?” I don’t know.

North Canton Patch: If the city wanted your advisement on issues surrounding the flooding problems it's seen recently (like storm sewer and sanitary sewer issues, for instance), is that something you’d be willing to do?

Chufar: It’s up to them. I’m all ears. I am a community-minded person. I always have been. I always will be.

North Canton Patch: Do you feel confident that, now that you’re retiring, the city is still going to hold those (sanitary sewers/storm sewer issues) as priorities?

Chufar: Personally, they’re going to do what they’re going to do. I could only do what I could do. You can only sing so loud, it just depends on whether or not they want to hear you. … If they’re not going to be willing and try to get that understanding, it doesn’t matter. It comes back to any sports adage: It doesn’t matter how good the team is; if you’re not putting the right plays out on the field, they don’t want to execute it and the coach isn’t going to let the play go in, it won’t matter.

CHUFAR ON TOPICS AFFECTING THE CITY

On sanitary sewers/storm sewer issues: One of the biggest things — other than the financial impact of tax rates are down, and we don’t have enough income tax for the general fund — I really feel that most cities that I’ve read about, studied and learned from are trying to be very responsible in the service sector of utilities. We’ve done a great job in the water distribution, the water treatment side. That has absolutely served and worked well for the people. But there’s been … very much a blind eye when taking care of the sanitary sewers, the storm sewer issues. Those are things that are very real — a clear and present danger. These are going to be budget busters, not just for the municipalities, but also for homeowners. Because when these things haven’t been taken care of, and you’re trying to do the catch-up work to make things right, it’s going to be very, very expensive.

There's a lot of things as a municipality that we can do, that I've been trying to get done. If we had been able to do those things sooner and quicker, I really think the people would have noticed a difference. But at the same time, there’s a lot of things that the residents have to understand. They have culpability too. Everyone’s home is its own system, and if it’s not operating correctly, if it’s not going to a place where it doesn’t impact or has less impact, they need to know how to do it. That’s been a very frustrating thing to try to get that taken care of.