Stafford reflects on tenure as city manager

Not since 1928-1946 and the 18-year tenure of City Manager R. J. Brule, has Navasota seen the forward momentum it has experienced under soon-to-be retired City Manager, Brad Stafford. While Brule and the WPA brought infrastructure, bridges, parks and a stadium to Navasota, Stafford put the name “Navasota” on the map of national retail consciousness and is transforming that 20th century infrastructure to accommodate 21st century needs. Before retiring Oct. 29, Stafford shared memories as Navasota city manager for almost 16 years with The Examiner.

First impressions

It was Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2005, when Brad Stafford arrived in Navasota to interview for city manager. Current mayor Bert Miller was a first-year council member having been elected only six months prior. The rest of the Navasota city council consisted of Mayor Pat Gruner, Beth Downey, Mildred Edwards and Mark Jackson, but due to a scheduling conflict, Edwards would not be present.

Stafford said, “I remember that interview like it was yesterday. It was kind of like Grilling Stafford started there.”

Public Works Director Gary Johnson was tasked with giving Stafford a guided tour, and as luck would have it, Johnson and Stafford recognized each other from their joint service on a natural gas committee. Despite empty buildings and bad streets, Stafford liked what he saw.

He said, “It was a pretty community, and I could see a ton of potential which made it very attractive to me. I have always been that guy that when I took a job, I wanted to help it grow and be a part of making it better.”

As he drove in on Washington Avenue, Stafford was “in awe,” and said, “It was just neat! I still think my drive in on Washington is the coolest feeling, to see the big trees and the cool houses.”

What is a city manager anyway?

Stafford compares a city manager to that of a CEO or COO of an organization.

He said, “We run the daily operation, we hire the staff, they work for us, and we answer to city council. City council sets policies and directs the city manager to implement those policies.”

In addition to taking “the bullets for all the bad things,” Stafford said city managers are ambassadors to the community, to state agencies and professional organizations to promote the good things that are happening and to be honest when things go bad.

He continued, “It’s a big responsibility to manage a city and keep things moving. We’re the bridge between citizens, staff and council. We’re the person in the middle of it all and we answer to all of those people; however, I work at the pleasure of the city council.”

Tackling the priorities

While council gave Stafford a lengthy list of pressing needs, the two most urgent related to police protection and utility expenditures.

Stafford said, “A few years before I came, the City combined with the County for dispatch service and the dispatcher and equipment moved to Anderson. They locked the doors at the police station at 5 p.m. If you wanted to report something or see a police officer without calling 911, you came to the front door, you pushed the doorbell and there was a video camera and dispatch in Anderson would talk to you…if it went through. That was very concerning to the citizens of Navasota.”

After lengthy negotiations with Sheriff Don Sowell, county commissioners, the BVCOG, Congressman Chet Edwards and city council, the PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) was brought back to Navasota. Stafford’s first accomplishment “didn’t fit everybody’s fancy,” but he said, “Navasota citizens felt like they had the service they were paying for.”

Of equal concern was a utility metering and electricity cost savings contract signed 18 months before Stafford was hired and had plunged the City into the red. Stafford had a good idea what was wrong but the company would not listen. He got their attention when he told Finance Director Geraldine Binford, “Do not pay this!”

Stafford said, “It got ugly, but in the end, the City of Navasota came out on top, got their money back and we were able to start buying some equipment, new patrol cars, and doing projects the citizens deserved. We put some money in the bank and started building our finances back.”

Nastysota outlawed!

According to Stafford, he heard this derogatory term for his newly adopted home shortly after arriving, and while no one can pinpoint its origin it had to do with facilities and community rivalries.

He said, “It really bothered me because I take pride in where I live and I want everybody to take pride in where they live. I ‘outlawed’ the word and told people if they said it around me, they’d get an earful!”

For Stafford, “Nastysota” came to a head while serving as the voice of the Diamonettes and the Rattler Band during halftime at a Navasota football game in Madisonville.

He said, “I went to the press box early. We were winning and they were supposed to be really good that year, and one of the radio announcers said, ‘You know things were going great and then the Nastysota reared its ugly head.’”

Stafford continued, “He was still on the air and I yelled across the press box, “We are not going to put up with that type of language. Do not use that word again!’”

He said, “That was probably not the best thing to do in another city but I did it. Dave Kucifer, the Examiner publisher was up there and he laughed and thought it was hilarious that I did that. I despise that word to this day. We are not nasty.”

Next week: Part 2, Stafford brings it together