A Conversation With ... Bob Cumley

One of the things I started doing a few weeks ago was meeting with each member of our management team, which is primarily department heads and assistant department heads, to talk about issues and concerns, both current and upcoming. I should complete those sessions in another week or two. I will then schedule one-on-one meetings with City Council (members) to talk about issues and areas of concern that they have (and) their expectations of me as the new city manager. Tom and I have met for quite some time with community leaders to maintain that networking and communication. That will obviously continue … to try to find out what things they're facing in their various businesses and organizations.

What issues do you expect to tackle in 2006?

Economic development is a huge issue for the city of Springfield. There are any number of things that we as a city can do to foster or act as a catalyst for economic development and continuing the public-private partnerships that we've been trying to establish for a number of years. We simply cannot quit growing and making those types of changes. I see that as not only a challenge but also a major opportunity.

Internally, we have the continued challenges of providing adequate pay and benefits for our employees (and) adequate working conditions and facilities. We have, most everybody knows, a major issue now with the Police and Fire pension system. That is certainly not going in the right direction, (and) we need to turn that around.

Tell us about your work history.

I actually started working full time when I was 16 years old. My father died, so I went to work full time at a bowling establishment. I was there for about five years, and then I went to Cessna Aircraft. I started as a sheet-metal assembler in the late 1960s. After about a year, I took some tests, ended up doing well and (moved to) the personnel section of Cessna Aircraft in Wichita, Kan. From that point on, I spent a number of years in the personnel and labor relations areas of Cessna Aircraft (and) Kansas State Bank and Trust Co., and then moved from Wichita to Springfield in 1971 as the assistant personnel manager with Kraft. I was here for about a year and a half (and) was promoted to assistant plant manager. My family and I then … moved to Minnesota. But we did not transition well from Springfield to Minnesota, primarily due to the weather and the fact that my two young children did not adjust favorably. I was fortunate to learn of a job here with the city in 1973 (as) personnel director, and I was able to obtain that job. I spent from 1973 to 1983 as the director of personnel. … I had my bachelor's degree in psychology, (and) during my time in personnel, I was able to obtain a master's degree in business administration from Missouri State University. In 1983, I was promoted to the new position of assistant city manager, and I held that position until (early 2005) when the new position of deputy city manager was established, and I was promoted to that job.

What's the best thing that you've learned from working with Tom Finnie?

I don't know that there's a best thing. I've learned a lot from Tom. He's been a wonderful city manager, not only a great boss, but a great mentor. I think probably among the top things would be the importance of getting the community involved in establishing a vision, but also keeping the community involved to make that vision become a reality. Tom has done that better than anybody that I know.

You're Springfield's third city manager, behind Finnie and Don Busch. How will you stand out from your predecessors?

I think probably I'm a little more prone to centralization versus decentralization, not that one's any better than the other. That's just my style. I like organization. I have a tendency, good or bad, to be a little more hands-on in the departments, which some may like and some may not. I need to be very much aware of what's going on in each department … and it's almost trying to run 18 or 20 different companies. It's important that we all work together as one … and we're doing that right now.

Is it true that you postponed retirement to take the city manager's job?

There were actually more people that said that than I did. It got around pretty quick. But I did have some plans to retire late this year. Tom was planning to go in April, and I thought I would stay around for the transition to the new city manager. But the mayor called and asked if I would consider staying on a little bit longer as the new city manager. And after a week or so of some sleepless nights and discussing it with the family … we agreed that if City Council wanted me to do it, I would do it.

Was putting off retirement a hard sell for your family?

It wasn't real easy, because we talked the last few months about what we were going to do. We had made some plans but nothing that couldn't be reversed. But they were very supportive, as they have always been. I've been blessed with a family that supported whatever I wanted to do, and a wife that has put up with a lot over the years.

Tell us more about your family.

I have three children. One daughter, Beverly, is a high school teacher and department head in Wichita, which is my hometown. Another daughter, Becky, is the clinical manager of St. John's Hospice here in Springfield. My son, Jeff Cumley, is the general manager of the Jordan Valley Ice Park. He interviewed for the job with Tony Sansone of St. Louis, who used to run the ice park, and got the job (before) it became a city operation. I have seven grandchildren. My wife, Peggy, is a homemaker and loves to spend time with the grandchildren. Four of the seven are here in Springfield. We have a small house on Table Rock Lake that we're working on fixing up for retirement.

What's something that your parents taught you that's still applicable today?

My mom was very much a proponent of “treat others the way you want to be treated.” I try to always put myself in the other person's shoes when I make a decision. … I don't remember a lot (about my father), but I do remember one thing very vividly that he impressed on me: Any time you're going to do a job, do the job right or don't do it all. … When I undertake something, I want to do it right, and if I don't think I can do it right, then I shouldn't begin the project. I think that played a part in my decision to accept the city manager's position. I want to do the job right.

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