New Scribner city administrator helps community

For the first time in its history, Scribner has a city administrator.

Al Vacanti stepped into that role in October.

The new position has been a good situation for the new leader and the community, said Mayor Steve Swanson. And even more positive aspects of having someone in this role are expected to emerge as this city looks ahead to the future.

Swanson said the city clerk position was expanded when Jeanette Cordes had the job and she became the administrative coordinator in the last two years before she retired.

And after Cordes’ retirement, the council realized it needed to expand the position again.

“We had the need for additional knowledge and time,” Swanson said. “We’ve got a lot of projects. City government has become so complicated. It’s a lot different than it was years ago. It’s challenging.

“It was time to have an administrator.”

Born and raised in Omaha, Vacanti graduated from Creighton University with a business administration degree in 1973 and from Creighton Law School in 1976. He was a bailiff for Judge John Murphy in Douglas County District Court for a year, then had his own law practice for nearly 20 years.

In 1996, Vacanti moved to Arizona, where he worked for a charity organization, which he continued with when he relocated to Torrington, Wyo. in 2002. While there, he also taught classes in public speaking at Eastern Wyoming College for three years.

In May 2005, he became the city manager in Chadron. Then in April 2007, he became village administrator in North Fond du Lac, Wis., where he worked before coming to Scribner.

“I got the opportunity to return to Nebraska and be closer to family and stay in public administration,” he said. “It was a good fit.”

Vacanti said he’d been impressed by all the fundraising Scribner residents did to acquire their new sports complex, which just opened this year.

“I thought that was very progressive,” he said.

Vacanti also was impressed with the city’s work in updating its waste water plant and because it had an industrial park.

His duties include overseeing day-to-day operations, financial reporting and maintaining records. He’s also been updating job descriptions for different city positions.

When fully staffed, the city of 970 residents has a police chief, four utility workers, a utility billing clerk and custodian. As city administrator, he interviews potential employees and makes recommendations to the mayor and council, who hire workers.

He’ll be working on the city’s budget and work with utility personnel to determine what equipment must be updated and projects completed. He’ll work with Deb Eggleston, economic development coordinator, who got grant funding for construction of a road into the city’s industrial park.

Vacanti said Eggleston also wrote a grant and got funding for a 2.25-mile pedestrian and bike trail that will run from the sports complex, around the grounds of the Good Samaritan Center and toward the levy. Vacanti will provide any city information she needs in the future and will help coordinate services between the two offices.

Besides these things, Vacanti is the person residents can take their questions to. Groups planning programs that need city cooperation or involvement come to Vacanti as well.

Swanson said Vacanti has helped the city and been a good man for the job.

Vacanti said he’s enjoyed the community’s cooperation and friendliness.

Is there a down side to the job?

“The worst part is not having enough money to do what you’d like to do and need to do �” so you have to prioritize. That means some things just don’t get done for a while,” he said.

He’d like to see more downtown and area revitalization and even more cultural activities.

Scribner residents already have begun their “Music in the Park” program and on Sunday guitar virtuoso George Walker and his quartet will perform.

“I think they (residents) are enjoying the idea of having music here and not going to Lincoln or Omaha to get the same music,” he said.

Vacanti, who lives in Scribner with his dog, Maddy, is enjoying Scribner itself.

“I have the quiet and solitude here and the opportunity to stay in public administration,” he said. “I’ve been very fortunate.”