Baker: York County needs to drop ‘sleepy old community’ mentality

Posted January 14, 2013 9:55 pm | Filed under Local News
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Former York County Manager Jim Baker is on his way to Chesapeake, Va., to serve as city manager after his five-and-a-half-year tenure in South Carolina ended Friday.

Baker says York County needs to change its culture as a sleepy old community run by a handful of power brokers and become more inclusive of everyone.

Baker says when he first came to York County in 2007, there was a very healthy diversity of opinions on the council.

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He says that’s particularly important when it comes to appointing people to boards and commissions.

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Baker says the county needs a long-term facilities master plan because it has a lot of capital projects to get done.

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He says a low point during his tenure was the way the York County Council dealt with the Culture and Heritage Foundation.  Baker says there were legitimate concerns, but they became personal and the council spent a lot of time chasing its tail.

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On the other side of the coin, Baker says during his tenure York County has become more professional, more efficient and stronger financially.

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Baker, and his wife, Susan, say they plan to retire in York County.