 |
Christopher J. Russo
Village Manager
Village of Port Chester, NY
Christopher J. Russo became Village Manager for the Village of Port Chester, NY in October 2008. As chief administrative officer, the Village Manager carries out the Village Board's policies, manages the government's staff, prepares the budget and serves as an adviser to the Village Board.
The local government benefits from the Manager's formal education and training in government service and his more than 25 years of experience in project and program administration. Citizens can rely on the Manager to provide complete and objective information. Additional responsibilities of the Village Manager include:
- Recruiting and appointing certain Village employees;
- Directing and supervising the administration of all departments, offices and agencies of the Village, and all employees of the Village, with the exception of the Police Department;
- Attending Board of Trustee meetings with the full right to participate in discussion, but not vote;
- Preparing the annual budget and capital program for review and acceptance by the Board of Trustees;
- Preparing additional reports as the Board of Trustees may require concerning the operations of Village departments, offices and agencies under the Village Manager's direction and supervision;
- Advising the Board of Trustees on the financial condition and future needs of the Village, and making recommendations to the Board concerning the affairs of the Village as deemed desirable.
Christopher J. Russo previously served as Town Administrator of the Town of Southwest Ranches. These services were provided on a contractual basis through Christopher J. Russo Associates, a professional public sector management firm operated by Mr. Russo.
As Town Administrator, Mr. Russo was responsible for directing and supervising all operations of the Town government, with the exception of certain financial matters, as per the Town Charter; the supervision of all staff and consultants; and advising and making recommendations to the Town Council regarding Municipal Services, Contracts, and Capital Improvement needs.
Before forming his professional management firm, Mr. Russo was the City Manager of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, a multi-cultural city with an estimated property value of more than $7 billion. At Sunny Isles Beach, Mr. Russo restructured both the budgetary process and operating departments of the city government. He also developed a comprehensive set of personnel policies and procedures, including a market-driven compensation plan. He planned and initiated a Commission-approved, long-term Capital Improvement Program, essential to the redevelopment of the City, which included more than $40 million in Capital Improvements. The centerpiece of the program was the construction of a new 56,000 sq. ft. Government Center.
Professional Background
Mr. Russo began his career in public service as Assistant to the Manager in Scarsdale, NY, where he gained a solid foundation in managing municipal government operations. At Scarsdale, Mr. Russo’s responsibilities covered the full spectrum of police, fire, public works, parks and recreation, finance, planning and budgeting.
Mr. Russo’s career advanced significantly when he became the first Village Administrator for the Village of Rye Brook, NY. This position was three-fold and included the duties and responsibilities of the Village Clerk as well as the Budget Officer. As Village Administrator, his responsibilities included: administering all government services including personnel, police, fire, public works, parks and recreation; the acquisition of public land; labor contract negotiation and dispute resolution; and planning for economic development. His duties as Village Clerk included conducting village elections and records management. As Budget Officer, he was responsible for the entire budget process.
Consulting and Advisory Roles
Mr. Russo has assisted local governments in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, and Florida in developing and bolstering strategic plans for the delivery of local government services. He has conducted executive searches for local government administrators/managers and department heads. He has served as a labor negotiator resolving labor issues and settling contracts for local governments. Mr. Russo has presented at more than 30 conferences and group meetings on topics such as “Innovations in Local Government”, “Public/Private Partnerships”, “Economic Development Incentives”, and “Leadership in Adversity.”
Mr. Russo has served in a leadership capacity or as a member of many civic and municipal organizations. These include: the Florida City County Management Association; International City/County Management Association; Municipal Administrators Association; New York State Municipal Management Association; and the American Society for Public Administration. He was an Executive Board Member of the New York State Conference of Mayors, and the Chairman of the Long Island Sound Task Force’s Point Source Subcommittee.
Mr. Russo graduated from Pace University in New York, where he earned both his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Administration degrees.
| |
