Posted: January 15, 2010

Mary Bunting became city manager of Hampton on Jan. 1.

Managing the city

Where do I begin? The city manager in essence is the CEO for the city. I'm responsible for ensuring the policies the council makes are implemented in a timely and efficient manner for all city departments. I oversee a group of talented folks in these departments who take care of day-to-day issues. Previously I was the assistant city manager for Hampton for 15 years. Before that, I was an assistant to the city manager for five years. During that time, I worked with numerous departments in the city such as public works, economic development, police and fire and human services. It prepared me well for this new job.

Challenges as city manager

It's been particularly challenging because of the depressed economy. This impacts the city. Our budgets are obviously tight. Normally we would receive money from the state but we're not receiving it because of the economy. Our local revenue is down. We depend on real estate and personal property taxes. It's where we get most of our revenue. When the real estate market is flat and declining in value, we get less revenue. During these times, citizens' expectations are high. They need financial help. The government is their safety net. The demand is high and our revenue is impacted. As we prepare to make cuts in various areas, I'm here to help the council and community navigate through these difficult choices. And hopefully to protect the essential services that people depend on. We're at the beginning stages of that. I hope to involve our workforce, community and council in these conversations.

My hometown

This is my hometown. I grew up in Hampton and I'm a product of the public school system. I hold a bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University. My mother was a single parent who couldn't afford to send me to school. I was able to attend because the civic community of Hampton gave me a scholarship. Since that time, I knew I wanted to work in public service especially with the local government. At the local level, I knew I could make an immediate impact on the lives of people each and every day with the decisions you make. It's been very rewarding to give back to the hometown that made me who I am today. That is the reason I wanted to become a city manager. I wanted to be able to help our community get through difficult times.

Career highlights

Everything I do is the product of many people. I was initially the one responsible for the 311 Customer Call Center initiative. It was a dream of mine for the citizens of Hampton to have a number like 911 that was for non-emergencies. It also meant giving our citizens the best customer service they can get from the government. One of the biggest sources of frustration of many citizens was that they didn't have an easy way of interfacing with us. They could only do it during normal business hours. Most people are at work during this time. The 311 call center operates seven days a week and 24 hours a day. This is the biggest highlight of my career.

First female city manager

I don't focus on that. I think I grew up in an era that, regardless of your age, sex, religious or ethnic background, you can do anything you want if you set your mind to do it. Obviously being the first female city manager means a lot to other people. Many people have told me it's gratifying to see a woman in this position. If it makes other people happy, then I'm glad. I just don't focus on the first woman thing. My mother, Darlene Burcham, is the city manager of Roanoke. She was the deputy city manager of Norfolk for 11 years. You don't find many mothers and daughters in the city manager profession. It makes me feel good to follow in my mother's footsteps. She has always instilled public service values in me.

Future plans

I'm looking forward to the Peninsula Town Center's grand opening in March. As for the future, I hope to serve the city well for many years to come. I love this city. It think it has unlimited potential. nib