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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 March 22, 2006 Letter from Joseph Franell ... Citizens of Ashland: Hello from sunny Florida. My family and I are very excited about moving to Oregon and becoming a part of the community there. I expect to begin work on Monday, April 3, and my family will join me after our house here sells. Thank you for all of the votes of confidence and support I have received so far. The challenges the city faces with the AFN question and the associated debt are certainly not insurmountable, and I am confident that we will find and implement the best solution possible. I have met key members of the IT Department staff, and I can assure you that the city has a great deal of talent and dedication represented in this group. I understand there has been interest in getting to know me better. First, let me encourage you to feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]. Even though I will not physically be there until April, I would be happy to hear from you. In the meantime, let me tell you about my background. I have been in management roles for more than 20 years. I have managed groups as small as five and as large as 600. I was one of the first people to have a personal computer in my peer group (it was a Compaq portable that looked like a suitcase) and have been involved with technology all of my adult life. I have extensive experience in telecommunications and most recently have been responsible for all operations of a hybrid fiber coaxial network 26 times as large as the AFN network. I've been asked why I would want to leave Florida and take the IT Director position in Ashland. I expect that my answer is similar to the reasons that brought most of you to Southern Oregon: quality of life. I don't know how anyone could visit Ashland and not fall in love with the area. Quite frankly, my family and I are ready to get away from the manic, crowded life style that Tampa Bay represents. Applying my experience and talents toward helping Ashland become an even better place is very appealing. What can you do to help the city with the AFN issue? First, continue to be patient. The old saying, "You can have it right or you can have it right now, but you can't have it right, right now" applies to this situation. It will take time to properly implement the solution your city staff and elected officials decide on. Secondly, be supportive once the decision is made. It is that simple. Again, I look forward to being there in person and getting to know the community. Until then, I am respectfully yours, Joseph Franell Director of Information Technology City of Ashland --> Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.