Local Government Specialist
Resume:
John Michael Barrett III
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
***********@*****.***
QUALIFICATIONS
Community Leader with experience working with fiscally distressed municipalities, elected and appointed officials, academicians, community and corporate leaders. Possess the unique perspective of a local appointed official, and an experienced community/economic development professional.
Project Manager skilled in leading complex local and regional level projects that meet budget/schedule, exceed community expectations and require effective management of resources and project staff. Skilled at formulating project scopes and developing workable approaches to projects as well as contract negotiation.
Skilled Communicator, Marketer and Promoter of projects and services. Unique ability to assess community needs, prepare responsive proposals, present complicated concepts in an understandable manner and motivate employees and community groups/volunteers to achieve success.
WORK HISTORY
2006 – Present Chief Administrator
Municipality of Murrysville, Westmoreland County, PA
The Municipality of Murrysville is a full-service, home rule community located approximately 20 miles east of the City of Pittsburgh, covering 37.5 square miles and home to 20,500 residents. Responsible for directing and coordinating the efforts of seven (7) municipal departments, consisting of sixty-five (65) full-time employees within three (3) labor unions to ensure that they are in conformance with municipal policy, directives, rules and regulations, and applicable municipal laws. The Chief Administrator is appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of Municipal Council.
Key Points:
Responsible for financial oversight of municipal operations including; preparation of annual operating budget and capital improvements program totaling $14.7 million, as well as development of a five year fiscal health review which provides trend analysis of expenditures and revenues to enable municipal council to make budgetary decisions based upon sound financial data.
Responsible for overseeing and directing the land use policy decisions of the community including preparation of a multi-municipal comprehensive plan, and review of subdivision and land development ordinances to ensure compliance with guiding principles the Murrysville Comprehensive Plan.
Serve as a liaison to various local, county, regional, state and federal government agencies. Responsible for responding to stakeholder requests for information in a timely fashion.
2002 - 2006 Director of Programs
Local Government Academy, Pittsburgh, PA
The Local Government Academy is a regional, collaborative non-profit organization dedicated to providing training and technical assistance to local governments throughout the southwestern Pennsylvania region. Responsible for the development, oversight and administration of training and informational programs for elected and appointed municipal officials and staff. Such training may include municipal finance, economic development, environmental quality, municipal service delivery, and other issues facing municipal governments.
Key Points:
Responsible for outreach to municipalities that have been designated as fiscally distressed (Act 47) by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Such outreach includes working in conjunction with Financial Recovery Plan Coordinators to identify the needs for technical assistance, specialized training, and/or capacity building.
Responsible for the administration and oversight of a Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Planning Grant program designed to encourage intergovernmental cooperation and promote sound land use policies.
Established positive working relationships with state and county agencies, municipal governments, non-profit agencies, universities and colleges, professional associations, and other community development organizations.
1997 – 2002 Director of Operations
Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, Pittsburgh, PA
The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership is a Downtown Management Organization for the City of Pittsburgh’s Business Improvement District. Responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating organizational programs and initiatives addressing business recruitment and retention, quality of life, economic development and other factors impacting the Central Business District.
Key Points:
Successfully established partnerships and working relationships with the Mayor’s Office, City Council, Department of Public Works, Bureau of Building Inspection, the Zone 2 Police Department, property owners and building managers, corporate leaders, and other downtown stakeholders in order to fulfill the organization’s mission.
Developed an outreach plan to downtown stakeholders, which resulted in the majority support of the renewal of the Business Improvement District through the Pittsburgh City Council in 2002.
1997 Project Manager
City of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
The Single Point of Contact (SPOC) program provides job training and placement assistance to welfare recipients, in accordance with recent welfare to work legislation. Responsible for researching job retention rates among SPOC graduates in an effort to enhance services provided.
Key Points:
Designed and implemented a quantitative research project aimed at identifying barriers to job retention rates amongst recent graduates. Prepared a formal report identifying findings and presented such findings to agency executives. Such findings have lead to permanent changes in organizational policy and have increased job retention rates significantly.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Pennsylvania Leadership Institute. A project of the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services, PennDOT, Pennsylvania Local Government Investment Trust, Lehigh University and the Iacocca Institute, aimed at enhancing leadership at the local level along the areas of; Motivating the Workforce, Land Use and Transportation for Economic Development, Ethical Decision-Making, and Establishing Strategic Partnerships.
Leadership Development Initiative XIII. Leadership Pittsburgh was created to enhance the region's quality of community leadership through programming focused on awareness of community issues. Leadership Development Initiative selects 40 young professionals to; participate in leadership sessions, develop a community impact project, conduct volunteer activities with local charities, and become a mentor to other young professionals.
Management for Excellence Initiative. A program created by The Heinz Endowments, Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University and the United Way of Allegheny County, the Management for Excellence Initiative teaches professionals how to perform organizational self-assessments and effective strategic planning processes.
Zoning Hearing Board Member, Green Tree Borough. Appointed by Borough Council, the Zoning Hearing Board’s purpose is to assure fair and equitable application and administration of zoning ordinances by hearing appeals to the zoning officer's determinations and by granting relief from the literal enforcement of the ordinance in certain hardship situations.
AmeriCORPS VISTA. A federal program designed to provide assistance to low-income communities in urban and rural areas. Participated in an economic development project structured to provide credit and financial services to residents of North and West Philadelphia where such services had been previously denied.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS/COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
American Public Works Association, Member
Association for Pennsylvania Municipal Management (APMM), Member
CORO Center for Civic Leadership, Emerging Leaders in Public Affairs Selection Committee
East Suburban YMCA, Board of Directors
International City/County Management Association, Member
International Downtown Association, Member, Presenter
Municipal Employers Insurance Trust, Board of Directors
Murrysville Economic and Community Development Corporation, Board of Directors
Pennsylvania Downtown Center, Member, Presenter
Southwestern Pennsylvania Community Development Coalition, Member
Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Indicators Consortium, Local Government Committee
EDUCATION
M.A. Social and Public Policy, Duquesne University, 1997 - 1999
The Graduate Center for Social and Public Policy, Pittsburgh, PA
Concentration; Policy Analysis and Administration
B.A. English Literature/Sociology, University of Delaware, 1991 - 1995
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