Greenville Magazine - July 2008 - (Page 47)

in the lead But on any given day, this Bostonarea native is simply delighted to be in Greenville. Though he’s been “CEO of the city” for just four and a half years, Bourey says he was sold right away on three things, “Quality of life; the sense of community (there is so much to do here!); and a history of very good government.” Most of all, the 31-year veteran of “every aspect of local government” – including chief administrative officer of El Dorado County, Calif.; executive director of Maricopa Association of Governments serving over 3 million people in Phoenix; and manager of more than 10,000 employees with an annual budget of $1.2 billion in Hennepin County, Minn. – believed he had a unique opportunity “to really make a difference because of what was going on in Greenville.” There was a lot poised to happen in 2004 after Charles “Randy” Oliver vacated the 10th floor corner office with its sweeping views of downtown and beyond, and plenty that hadn’t even reached the drawing board. The City Manager’s position was (and continues to be) a balancing act working with the various personalities on City Council, the public and the private sector, to continue smart growth. To his credit, Bourey was armed not only with extensive work expe experience as director of planning for Seattle, but academic credentials as well. He holds two master’s degrees from Washington University in St. Louis: one in Urban Design and the other in Architecture. So when he finally took the seat, which he admits had a “pretty high level of turnover,” he says he was in it for the long haul. Bourey laughs but is not really joking as he recognizes the importance of City Council’s continued approval of his performance. “Many of the major cities are experiencing huge budget deficits,” Bourey explains, noting the financial woes of such places as Atlanta, Memphis and Sacramento. As operating costs rise across the board, Bourey’s strategy to head off the 47 MoMent oMent J Never a Dull by lydiA dishMAn i PhOTO by AshlEy FulMER im Bourey says he’s delighted to be here. Today, the City Manager is speaking from a podium inside the Carolina First Center. He’s there to kick off the Transforming Local Governments Conference as the inaugural event after the completion of a $22 million renovation. For the next few days, he will host hundreds of city officials from across the U.S., China, New Zealand and Canada, show off the new-and-improved facilities, play tour guide and tout the city’s successes. JULY 2008 | GreenviLLe MaGazine

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Greenville Magazine - July 2008

Greenville Magazine - July 2008 Contents Editor's Letter My Greenville Alone At Last Watercooler Romance Greenwood Tourist in Your Own Town One-Tank Trips In The Lead Keeping Students In-State After Hours From the Pros A Look Back Walk this Way If These Walls Could Talk Viewpoints Attorneys The Bulletin Around Town Parting Words

Greenville Magazine - July 2008

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