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Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Local Issues Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad April 29, 2006 After three and a half years as Ashland’s city administrator , Friday was Gino Grimaldi's last day on the job. On Monday he starts his new job as the City of Springfield’s city manager. Orville Hector | Ashland Daily Tidings City administrator enjoys last day About Gino • “I’m going to miss him a lot. I liked his counsel. He worked well under difficult circumstances. The city hasn’t been very easy to administer the last few years.” — John Morrison , mayor of Ashland • “He’s a very nice guy. I wish him well.” — Jack Hardesty , city councilor • “I liked working with Gino. He’s patient, very thorough at analyzing things. When he makes decisions they are very well informed decisions.” — Mike Franell , city attorney • “He was an organized, thoughtful, energetic boss. Everybody seemed to like him. He was friendly to everyone who came around.” — Diana Shiplet , executive secretary to the city administrator •”He was pretty easy going and very accessible to the public. He was easy to work for.” — Sonja Akerman , human resources department. By Robert Plain Ashland Daily Tidings City Administrator Gino Grimaldi has left the building. The City Hall building, that is. After three and a half years as Ashland’s city administrator, Friday was his last day on the job and on Monday he starts his new job as the City of Springfield’s city manager. While he said he is looking forward to starting his new job, there are many things he and his family will miss about Ashland. “The people,” he said, over coffee on his last day on the job, of Ashland will be high on the list of things he will miss about this community. “The diversity of opinion and the diversity of background. Call it rich; it was fascinating to deal with. It stretches your mind, causes [one] to think differently. I learned a great deal from everyone I came in contact with.” Of course, he said there are some things he won’t miss about Ashland, as well. Making reference to the Ashland Fiber Network, he said, “I’ll probably never get involved with cable television again.” He said being the administrator for Ashland presented a unique challenge, with all of the city’s unique assets and utilities, such as AFN, the electric department and others. He said, “It’s definitely not a typical community.” More than anything about his job, though, Grimaldi said he would miss the small town feel Ashland offers. He said his fondest memories of being here include, “Running into my wife and kids at lunch time here in town. You don’t get to do that in a bigger community.” As far as his family is concerned, what they will likely miss most is running into their family. His wife Anita’s family has lived in Ashland for three generations. Her sister, her mom and her brother, former Ashland City Councilor Greg Williams, all still live here in town. “Moves are hard on families,” Grimaldi said, speaking a little easier than he has in the past with the local media. “It’s tough to move away from family.” But, he added, his family came to a mutual decision that the move back to Springfield, where Grimaldi spent 14 years as the deputy assistant city manager before taking the job in Ashland in February of 2003. Plus, that he still has extended family here, and his oldest son Alex, 19, as a freshman at Southern Oregon University, he assured a reporter that he will have opportunity to return. “I’ll be a tourist,” he said, laughing. The Grimaldi’s have two other children. Brendan, 18, is going to be a freshman next year at Oregon State University and Alyssa, 12, is going to rejoin her classmates and friends in Springfield that she left three years ago. Legacy Perhaps being a bit modest, Grimaldi rated his performance for the city as “average,” saying, “It hasn’t been outstanding.” But, he said, rather than being remembered for his accomplishments he hoped he would be remembered for who he was. “What you do is probably not as important as how you do it,” he said. “I’d rather be remembered for being open, honest, fair and trustworthy.” He said he is sad to be leaving before many of the projects he presided over have been completed. “Three years is not a long time in this position,” he said. As for the city itself, Grimaldi gave it an “A+,” he said. “It’s not about an individual; it’s about an organization. If you think of the issues We’ve handled over the last three years, they have been significant.” By way of advice for the city, Grimaldi said, “A common vision is needed. Ashland has to have the courage to enter into that discussion. There needs to be trust between the people inside the organization, between elected officials and staff and between the officials and the public.” He even offered a piece of advice for his successor as Ashland’s city administrator, Martha Bennett who will start work on or around May 22. “My advice for her, and this is not meant to sound flippant, but have fun, she’s got a great opportunity here,” he said. Until she arrives, Ashland Finance Director Lee Tuneberg will be the acting city administrator. Staff writer Robert Plain can be reached at 482-3456 x 226 or [email protected]. 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