Steve Jobs was interviewed on CBS’s 60 Minutes in 2003. During that interview, he made the following statement. “Great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a team of people.” He was correct.
Today, most notable accomplishments result from a group working together to achieve a common goal. Apple, Inc. was built on the premise that you recruit and hire the most talented people and place them in the best possible collaborative and innovative environment. The result is a productive, positive, and winning work culture and company. It would be hard to argue with the success of this plan.
This same principle can be applied to sports teams. In my many years of coaching, I have witnessed it countless times. We utilized a similar philosophy when building our Bridgeport High School Track & Field and Cross Country teams. Much of our program's success was directly related to finding the best possible coaches, giving them additional up-to-date education, and providing the opportunity, equipment, and environment to implement their knowledge and skills. Again, great employees in a great culture produce success.
These ideas ring true for government bodies as well. The City of Bridgeport is no exception. Behind every project, event, or advancement is a dedicated, professional, and hardworking team of people making it happen. For decades, Bridgeport has found great people and provided a supportive, engaging place for them to serve. The results are apparent. The community is filled with examples of what they have accomplished. Look at the Bridge, the Bridgeport Library, the North Central West Virginia Airport, the Bridgeport Water and Wastewater system, our Fire and Police Departments, the Bridgeport Cemetery, etc. The list could go on and on.
In the City of Bridgeport, the various members of these driven, diligent, and conscientious teams come from three distinct camps: Elected Officials, City Employees, and Community Volunteers. In differing configurations and often quietly working behind the scenes, these three groups are responsible for much of the success Bridgeport has experienced and continues to experience today.
Bridgeport City Council is the elected governing body of the city. The Mayor, Recorder, and City Council members make up the council. They have guided the city well for generations by providing long-range planning, fiscal responsibility, and a clear vision for the future. However, they could not do it alone. I can vouch from first-hand experience that we rely heavily on the input of the other two groups. I am joined in my appreciation by Mayor Andy Lang and the other city council members. We all agree that our city staff and the community members serving on our boards, commissions, and committees are second to none and essential to our city and those on the City Council.
First are our City Employees. They are hired based on their skills, credentials, and education. They serve as the face of the city, execute the plans of the city, and provide inspiration and feedback to the City Council. Working hard day in and day out, we have some of the finest municipal employees anywhere. Our city employees are professional, well-trained, well-educated, and experts in the scope of their jobs. Their contributions to the success and accomplishments of Bridgeport are enormous. In previous blogs, I have documented their invaluable contributions to the community and will continue in the future.
Second, and very importantly, are our Community Volunteers. They are who I want to focus on in this blog. Often going unnoticed, our citizen volunteers fill many positions on our municipal boards, committees, and commissions. These groups function in different ways to aid and assist our city government in making our community an even better place to live, work, and play. Since being elected to City Council, I have attended multiple meetings of most of these groups. Each time, I have come away impressed and reassured that the city’s future is in good hands.
The outstanding women and men serving voluntarily on these boards, committees, and commissions are among our brightest and most qualified residents. Professionals from all walks of life; attorneys, business executives, engineers, medical professionals, entrepreneurs, etc. They serve with dedication, commitment, and loyalty. These experts and professionals from our community work with our city employees and council members to maintain our high municipal standards, develop plans, assist in specialized hiring, propose policies, help manage budgets, advise departments, make recommendations to the Council, and more. The members of the Bridgeport Utility Board, Board of Zoning Appeals, Building Commission, Development Authority, Emergency Services Council, Fire Civil Service Commission, Fire Service Appeals Board, Greater Bridgeport CVB, Library Board, Planning Commission, Police Civil Service Commission, Business Retention Committee, and Cybersecurity Advisory Committee give selflessly of their time and talents.
We owe these fine women and men thanks and appreciation for the time they give and the work they do on our behalf. They don’t do it for the money; there is none. They don’t do it for fame; there is none. They don’t do it for the glory; there is none. They do it because they sincerely believe in our community and want to make it a better place for all.
Our volunteers are one of the three parts of our government working alongside our City Employees and City Council. The three function as a team. They integrate to form something exceptional. Something more than the sum of the parts. Similar to Apple, Inc., although on a smaller scale, we recruit the best people and provide them with the best environment possible. The result? An outstanding municipal government, an extremely high quality of life, and a thriving community. Teamwork that leads to “great things” occurring in Bridgeport. That is “Why Bridgeport?”
Editor's Note: Top photo shows the Bridgeport Emergency Services Council meeting, while the Board of Zoning Appeals is shown in the second photo. Below is the Bridgeport Utility Board holding their monthly meeting in Council Chambers.
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