City Manager Agrees Delaying Strategic Planning Till Fall Is Best

OCEAN CITY – Although City Manager David Recor was officially sworn in last week, he took the time on Monday evening to formally introduce himself, giving a brief history of his experience and his future plans for Ocean City.

“This career opportunity appealed to me for both professional as well as personal reasons,” Recor said.

Recor is a native to Virginia’s eastern shore, growing up in Accomack County in the town of Onancock.

Recor received undergraduate degrees in public administration and political science from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., and received his graduate degree in masters of public administration from George Mason University in Fairfax Va.

Recor, who most previously was city manager of Fort Pierce, Fla., is entering his 23rd year in local government service and is a 20-year member of the International City County Management Association (ICMA). He has been a credential manager by ICMA since 2008.

“It is truly an honor and a privilege to be named Ocean City’s fourth city manager and I couldn’t be more pleased with the team of the dedicated hard working professionals that comprise the town’s work force,” Recor said.

Recor has jumped into Ocean City’s 2012 Summer of Thanks campaign and said the town has an exciting schedule of summer events and activities for visitors that are intended to make Ocean City a clear destination resort on the east coast.

Recor also reviewed significant capital projects that are underway, including a $13 million expansion of the Roland E. Powell Convention Center and in phase two of that project a 1,200-seat performing arts theater. He added that the town has partnered with the Art League of Ocean City to build a new art center on 94th Street.

“This is a public-private partnership that I think represents an investment not only in additional tourism-related activity but a cultural investment in the Ocean City community as well,” he said.

As Recor entered into his second week on the job, his focus has been meeting with staff members and departments outside of City Hall, which he said will conclude by the end of the week and will return to spending more time in the office.

“If you are involved in a community group or association and you would like me to come speak to your group, provide some introduction, or what’s happening in City Hall, I would be glad to do that,” he said.

Recor has committed to the Mayor and Council to enhance communication though his office by sending out weekly updates as well as submitting department activity reports and scheduled financial reports.

“I am also a firm believer in scheduled financial reporting in order to keep the financial solvency of the organization at the forefront of every policy decision that the council makes,” he said.

As Recor was preparing to come on board last month, he said conducting a strategic planning initiative would be one of his first orders of business. The idea was for the council to outline its goals and for Recor and the department heads to executive them. He said this week he realizes the peak season is not the time to begin that task.

“This is the peak time, everyone is focused on our visitors, so although I said that would be one of the first things I would initiate I can see now that that is an initiative that would be better served in the fall,” he said.