By Allen Dinkel
Junction City Manager
During the past week I have been asked by a number of people about what I would write about, for what will be my final Junction City 5/15 Report. On Wednesday, July 17 I will retire as City Manager here after 9 years and 6 months and will conclude my full-time career in Kansas City Management for 35 years and almost 5 months. It also concludes nearly 45 years of public service as I spent nearly 10 years as a County Extension Agent.
I never had an inkling I would ever have a career in City government until late 1988. I saw an ad in the newspaper that a City in Northwest Kansas looking to fill the position of City Administrator which was being reopened after being vacated for about 8 years after the first ever City Administrator left that City after serving for about 2 years. As they say, it doesn’t cost to apply so I sent a resume and a letter of application. I did have experience at managing events such as a County Fair which included many working with many volunteers, and I had worked with many to reach successful conclusions. I understood budgeting and financing as this was during the 80’s farm crisis and I had worked with a number of producers who were risking to lose everything they had as Ag commodity prices had bottomed, and interest rates had sky rocketed. Simply it was tough out on the Farm. Those experiences were a great influence that stuck with me over the past 35 years.
Yes that community interviewed me, offered me the job, and the I began what has been a great and sometimes wild pathway since then. I always had a passion for government issues as that was
instilled into by my Dad, so it was easy to learn that part. I always give credit for my business sense to Dad and Grandpa Dinkel. Yes, both were farmers, but trust me they instilled a strong sense of business into me.
I have been through blizzards in Northwest Kansas that piled up large drifts of snow in the City in Northwest Kansas that shut down the community for a number of days. I managed a City where a destructive tornado affected about 1/3 of the City and destroyed 200 homes, including ours, destroyed the only grocery store in town, and did major damage at the high school and hospital. And yes I experienced the flooding of the basement of the water plant here and losing the ability to supply the City with water for a couple of days. I have experienced trying to put together a financial plan for various projects or finding a way to get a City through the costs of crisis such as a tornado. And no doubt, the financial issues here in Junction City were a challenge, but the General Obligation Debt has decreased substantially and yes, cash carryover in the City funds has increased.
For those who have followed me, you know I always tie myself my past experiences growing up as a Farm Kid. I know what it is like to see a wheat crop getting hailed the day before harvest or going through a drought and know how Dad had to manage through that. Yes, maybe at times I can get a little conservative, but that is the way I am wired.
I have had the privilege of leading many great employees over the years and for the past 9 plus years the employees here in Junction City have joined me in making this an Outstanding City Team. I thank them for everyone they do for the City. Not always an easy or thankful job.
Most importantly I have had the support of my family. I am certain it is not always easy to be the wife of the City Manager. Not only does she have to hear the many comments, but she also had to put up with me with the issues I dealt with in this career. Even though the girls were no longer living with us for the most part when we moved here, they also had moments of having to deal with being the City Manager’s kids. Paula, thanks for your support, love, patience and for just having to dealwith me. Emily, Wendy, and Macey I am proud to be your Dad and thanks for your support over the years.
I have enjoyed serving the Junction City Community since January 5, 2015. Thank you for the City Commission for giving me this opportunity. Many have appreciated my efforts here. I know I can’t please everyone, and I can live with that. There always can be many sides of any issue. I have tried to use this column to give you information about the City and what we deal with.
The office is nearly cleaned out and over the next three days, I will try to get the last few details taken care of. It has been a good run. We will see you down the Trail somewhere