When John O’Connell became county administrator Dec. 12, he was no stranger to county affairs, having been commissioner and involved in creating the position.
Now he has the task of doing what he thought a county commissioner should be doing; administering the county’s business in as efficient and cost-effective manner as possible.
“I’m just delighted to be back,” he said in an interview. “I always have a great time, day in, day out, working with the employees, many of them I’ve known and respected.”
O’Connell takes with him some skill sets as a certified licensed financial planner to meet the challenges the county faces, whether budgetary or personnel issues and he has extensive experience in finance and local and county government dealing with people.
His background includes employment as a loan officer in international banking for London’s Chemical Bank in England and as a financial executive with administration, credit evaluation and business development responsibilities for Industrial Credit Co. based in Cork, Ireland.
His education includes a Bachelor’s degree in natural science from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, a Master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maine at Orono, and a C.F.P. from the College of Financial Planning in Denver, Col.
He holds Maine life, health, and variable annuity licenses as well.
Before becoming a commissioner, O’Connell served on the county budget committee for three years prior to his appointment in 1999 to fill a vacancy on the board followed by election later.
In Boothbay Harbor where he lives, he has served as a selectman for five years and board chairman for three years as well as on other town boards and committees. Several years ago, he served as interim town manager for Wiscasset.
O’Connell considers himself a hands-on person who likes to talk with department heads and other employees on an individual basis. With his usual blend of Irish wit and tact, he tends to engage them in open communication and opportunities for input.
With the county’s taxpayers in mind, he has a stated goal of trying to keep the county’s annual budget at a low rate of increase, around .8 percent like this year’s budget.
“As an administrator, I am aware of the importance of appropriate financial information. As a financial type, I will be focusing on finances and the budget, and I will be undertaking a work flow analysis,” he said. He expects the task will put the county departments in good shape next month.
“I do the math,” he said. “It will be increasing if spending increases. I’m thinking of giving taxpayers a better run for their dollar.”
His work on the board and before, as a member of the county budget advisory committee, has given him much experience in dealing with departments and their respective budgets.
The county needs more revenue streams at a time when in places like the county’s recycling business has diminished somewhat. O’Connell wants to explore other possibilities. “I’ll be looking in less traditional areas for resources,” he said.
As a step in that direction, he said, “I have asked the department heads to be more aware of that whole side of it.”
The economic development prospects concern him as he looks at the goals of the Lincoln County Economic Development Office.
“I’m optimistic about using LCEDO to develop more grants for us,” he said. “I’ve worked with LCEDO before, and they know I have a slightly different perspective.”
The job situation has to be a priority, in his estimation. “The key to success in Lincoln County is provision of skilled private sector jobs.”
As for the Sheriff’s Dept., O’Connell would like to see the department maintain the highest level of professionalism and make sure it has the necessary equipment and training it needs.
“At this point we have to work within our budgets,” he said. “This is not a year to lose sight of the cost benefit ratio of any service we provide. We don’t have to make it any more miserable for the individual taxpayer.”
Reflecting on the past few years, O’Connell praised the work of his predecessor, Jim McMahon. “He did an enormous amount of work in his tenure,” he said.
McMahon concentrated on organization and policy, giving O’Connell the opportunity to concentrate on other areas. “He was very helpful and thorough in his review of policies and procedures and other things,” O’Connell said.
One of the issues that consumes part of his time now concerns the Two Bridges Regional Jail funding and awareness of a $400,000 shortfall.
O’Connell attended a Maine County Commissioners’ Association meeting a couple of weeks ago on the topic of jail funding and the state’s new plan for unification of the correctional system and what it will mean for the counties and ultimately taxpayers.
“We don’t know what the state’s going to do,” he said.
One of O’Connell’s pet peeves concerns the state’s lack of recognition that when it comes up with an idea to reduce costs it always involves volunteer time often taken for granted, such as the school consolidation planning.
“Without volunteer aid, these things would not be happening,” he said. “They should not be over worked or abused. They’re dependent on people who basically work for nothing.”
Unknowns about what the state will do concern him and commissioners, who criticize the shifting of the burden for state budgetary shortages to the counties.
Following the session with the commissioners’ association, O’Connell and Sheriff Todd Brackett drafted a proposal for the Maine Legislature’s consideration this session on cost sharing. O’Connell expects a discussion about the county’s proposal and cost issues at the next regular board meeting Tues., Feb. 3.