By EMMA BARTLETT

For the past 12 years, Ken Mason has served as Cranston Director of Public Works while Robert Strom has held the position as finance director since 2009. The two are set to retire within weeks of each other. Their successors have not been named, but candidates are being interviewed.

Mayor Ken Hopkins said in a March 3 interview that Mason and Strom will leave behind two major voids. The two have historical knowledge from working in past administrations and they will be missed by the city.

Mason

Mason, 65, was named Cranston’s Director of Public Works in 2012 after leaving his position as Deputy Director of Utilities in Newport. He said he sought the job because of its larger responsibilities and proximity to his home in Coventry.

Mason knew the city well, having grown up in Edgewood and graduating from Cranston East in 1974.

As director, Mason is in charge of roughly 80 personnel spread in several divisions: highway division, building maintenance, fleet maintenance and capital projects. In public works, he oversees rodent control, the sewer enterprise fund, traffic engineering, trash and recycling, streetlights and any snow events; he is also a member of the board of contract and purchasing and planning commission.

While reflecting on his time in the position, Mason said if it weren’t for the department heads of the divisions he oversaw, it would have been a lot more difficult.

“We have a tremendous staff here that all cooperate and work together,” said Mason. “Sometimes it’s like herding cats, but other times it’s very smooth and you can see by our actions during snow events. Everyone pulls together and does – I think – a very good job.”

Mason said the department has had several projects over the past five years that have worked well for the city.

A main focus has been paving. Of Cranston’s 317 miles of roads, 70 have been repaved in the past five years.

“We’re making a decent dent and I’m hoping in the next few years they’ll continue that effort,” Mason said.

Mason has also helped the city save half a million dollars a year just from street lights. In 2016, Cranston purchased the city’s 9,600 street lights from National Grid and converted them  to LEDs.

He said one thing that people love/hate is the new trash and recycling cart system with Waste Management’s automated pickup. While the city supplied roughly 50,000 trash and recycling carts, Mason said the new system has saved the city money – even though it’s difficult to quantify.

Mason was vocal about what he did not like.

“I’ll tell you what I hate is snowstorms,” he said laughing.

Mason said snowstorms are a very busy time and can be hard to plan – such as timing when to bring the right people in.

Mason said he has been fortunate to not have any significant flooding events or significant hurricanes.

“Nothing like the floods of 2010,” he said, noting there were only a few whopper snowstorms.

As for Mason’s successor, the city has posted the position and several candidates are being considered for the position. Mason has some input, but the administration will have the final call.

Mason said the biggest piece of advice for this position is to be in contact with the department heads and maintain a good working relationship with the administration.

“One great thing about working for both Mayor Fung and Mayor Hopkins is they don’t try to micromanage, but they want to stay involved in the big picture items that are coming up with the city and projects,” Mason said.

Mason said he looks forward to seeing what happens in the city in the next few years – noting the upcoming Knightsville revitalization efforts.

In retirement, Mason and his wife hope to travel. Mason’s wife, Lee, works as a legal assistant in Warwick and the two are retiring at the same time. They hope to visit their grandchildren who are in Mystic, Connecticut, and Wrentham, Massachusetts.

“My oldest grandson just made a major division little league team. I’m hoping to see quite a few of those games.”

Strom

Since 2009, Robert Strom, 73, has held the position as Cranston’s Director of Finance. He  took the job  after spending eight years in Woonsocket as the city’s Director of Finance; he previously worked with Cranston – serving one year as internal auditor. Prior to this, he worked as a corporate controller in a private industry for 28 years.

Strom spent the last 12 years working for former Mayor Allan Fung and for the last year has worked for Hopkins. Knowing Cranston had some financial issues, Strom came aboard and helped straighten things out.

The job began with consolidating the city’s workforce. Strom also helped resolve issues with the school department and created better relationships with them. The city also developed a 401A pension plan in 2014 for new teamsters, employees, laborers and clerical staff.

Strom turned around the financial picture at the city ice rink. Strom said the rink doesn’t make a lot of money, but now its operation isn’t costing the taxpayer.

Tasks as finance director include going out for bonding every couple of years, maintaining the same level or debt each year, reframing bonds and keeping at low interest rates which is advantageous to the city.

On a daily basis, Strom watches cash flow and monitors expenditures. This includes reviewing cash and reporting the cash balance for city and schools; calculating how much to allocate schools on a weekly basis for payroll and vendors. Strom also runs weekly reports for revenues and expenditures so the city is within budget and giving final approval to purchase orders.

Strom oversees the tax assessor, finance, controller’s office, purchasing, IT, Treasurer’s officer, municipal court and the ice rink; for a combined staff of 31.

“My favorite part was making a lot of really good relationships with all fashions of governmental groups – both on the state level, other finance directors, schools and internally with other directors in the city,” said Strom.

His successor, yet to be identified by the administration, will start on April 4. Strom offered to assist one or two days on a weekly basis to help the new director get situated.

Strom said he has mixed emotions about leaving the position.

“I still enjoy doing my job but I’m getting at the age where it’s the right time to enjoy a bit of retirement life,” Strom said.

Strom and his wife, Deborah, are retiring around the same time; Deborah works as a case worker for DCYF. Strom plans to spend some time in Florida – with thoughts of staying in Rhode Island during the summer and going south for the winter.

Successors

The city council will have to approve the administration’s recommended candidates for the director of public works and finance positions.

Mason said the city posted the position and is in the process of interviewing several candidates. He is hoping to see someone in the end of April or beginning of May.

“We have several candidates who seem well qualified for the position,” Mason said.

On March 14, City Council held a special meeting, concerning advice and consent for the appointment of Robert Zarnetske to the position of Finance Director. The council referred  the appointment to a special finance committee meeting on March 31.

According to Zarnetske’s LinkedIn, he has 27+ years of experience in public service, government administration, public policy development and implementation. His current position includes serving as the Director of Business Development and Policy for HCH Enterprises. Previous experience includes working as the senior economic and policy analyst at the Rhode Island Office of Pandemic Recovery, town manager of South Kingstown and a member of City Council in Norwich, Connecticut, from 2007 to 2009.