Elk Grove Citizen : Newssubscribe | advertise | email updates | contact us Thursday, October 23, 2008 advanced search HOME | NEWS | SPORTS | LIFESTYLE | CLASSIFIED | REAL ESTATE | OBITUARIES | FORUMS | MULTIMEDIA | SPECIAL SECTIONS Today's Weather Elk Grove, CA News Print | E-mail | Comment (No comments posted.) | Text Size Elk Grove adds new assistant city manager 2005 Pontiac Grand Am $9,994 http://www.NissanofElkGrove.comBy Gamaliel Ortiz - Citizen Staff Writer Published: Thursday, October 23, 2008 3:42 PM PDT Joining Elk Grove city manager Laura Gill as her assistant is Patrick Blacklock, a former college and county administrator, who will join Gill in implementing the city’s sweeping plan of rethinking and practicing how it does business. “I like the opportunity that the Sinclair Report brings,” Blacklock said of the plan that sets forth recommendations for the city on how to streamline development reviews and customer service. The method also looks for more feedback from city-related agencies and partners. Blacklock said he will put a priority on listening. “Anytime we look at change a challenge is ‘can we go to work hard to make sure we make outreach and are listening?’” he said, just after two days as assistant city manager. So far, most of his time is spent meeting new colleagues and city partners. Yet, he has a grasp at what he’ll do once his job starts in earnest. Blacklock, along with other city staff members under the leadership of Gill, will take the existing service-providing model the city has and update and transform it while they consider what the city will be like in the future. “We can develop a system that can be a model,” Blacklock said. In July, the Elk Grove City Council approved the report that recommends restructuring and improving services and contract processes of developers and city residents. Business growth, and the lack of it, has been partially blamed on not only the weak economy but also the current city method that takes extra time and comes with higher fees when compared to other regional cities. The “red tape” the city has put has been a talking point in the race for city council. Incumbents praise the Sinclair report while hopefuls either criticize the city’s processes or ask why the report took so long. Blacklock hopes his experience and love for the area will help him as he and others undertake the massive task. He was dean of Careers and Technology for Cosumnes River College, which included the development of courses in construction, management, architecture, building inspection and design. He also developed green building certificates with the college and that experience, while not his expertise, can be useful in a time when city leaders are looking to minimize carbon footprints and look for ways to build greener. However, Blacklock calls his six years as an Amador county administrator and interest in local government most valuable. “I found that I missed local government more than I expected,” he said. He served as county administrative officer and served as a land use agency director for the county. He overlooked planning, building and environmental health departments. “It’s really that experience that implants the seed in local government,” he said. In his new role, he’ll be a leader in the building, planning and public works departments. Although a fresh face with the city, Blacklock said that his previous job with the college produced a permanent link between him and the Elk Grove area. “I’ve become familiar with the community,” he said. “I’m new to the city government, but familiar with Elk Grove.” As far as advantages of being a freshman city staff member, Blacklock said he comes with no pre-formed ideas. “We come with the ability to listen. To let what we hear inform and guide us as we make transformational change,” he said. While the city hopes to fully implement the Sinclair report by early next year, Blacklock said he must first listen to the city’s needs and its partners, noting that the report is flexible and adaptive. “We just gotta listen and take out a notepad,” he said. New police chief sworn in Elk Grove adds new assistant city manager City council worries about budget future Water board candidates debut at Citizen forum UC Davis Ag Center honors Sacramento County Farm Bureau I will truly miss you Thank you, Jamie Toastmasters’ speech contest Large Veterans Day Parade planned Police Briefs Numerous students make the grade in state exams CSD candidates tackle issues at forum Sheldon High student arrested for campus assault Colon gets 15 years for 2006 street-racing death Jamie Gonzales In Memory An inspiration to us all Reader Comments The following are comments from the readers. 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