Doug England’s first act as New Albany’s mayor-elect was to keep City Controller Kay Garry in charge of finances.
Garry served in that position in England’s previous two terms and has done so under Mayor James Garner since February 2004. She and England agreed Wednesday that she’d keep the job.
Garry said she was pleased and looking forward to the work: “It’s hard, at 69, to go out and look for a new job.”
England praised Garry’s work for Garner and said Ron Carroll, his campaign’s treasurer, will work with Garry “a couple hours a day” once the new term begins in January.
“The most critical person to me as mayor will be my city controller, who has their hands on the books,” England said.
Other than that position, England has made no decisions about who to keep or hire as department supervisors, but he said Thursday he expects to announce most or all of those choices in the two weeks ahead.
But first, England plans to meet with Garner to discuss transition and elicit the outgoing mayor’s opinions about staffing.
“I’m not going to talk to anybody about any kind of transition until I speak with James,” England said.
Garner told The Tribune, “I’m amenable to any type of transition Doug wants. It will be a much better transition than I had when I took office.”
Garner, a Democrat like England, followed Republican Mayor Regina Overton.
Until his term starts, England will continue to work out of his campaign headquarters at Scribner Drive and Main Street. England expects to confer with firefighters and police officers about who he might make the chiefs of those departments.
“I never did that before,” England said. “I’m probably going to be more of a questioner and a listener” than in his previous terms.
Campaign Manager John Wilcox will probably work for the city in some capacity, England said, but “we don’t know what yet.”
England lamented that the 2008 judicial races, including one for a new position, could thin the field of potential city attorneys.
“It’s bad timing for me,” England said. “There’s some very qualified people I’d like to consider, but they’re going to be busy running campaigns.”
Though England reiterated his intent to serve as his own economic-development director, he acknowledged he’ll be seeking help in that arena from the commerce group One Southern Indiana, and he understands that his busy schedule will require him to delegate responsibility.
“If I’m in that office and anytime you call you can reach me, I’m not doing my job,” England said.
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