Link Ahead with the City of Dublin, Ohio
Link Ahead with the City of Dublin, Ohio
The First 100 Days: Dublin's New Deputy City Manager Mike Barker
What does it take to help lead a city where 99% of residents rate it as an excellent/very good place to live? In this illuminating conversation, we sit down with Mike Barker, Dublin's new Deputy City Manager, as he reflects on his first 100 days in this crucial role.
Barker brings a wealth of experience from his 11 years as Public Service Director in New Albany and his earlier career in Westerville and the private sector. His engineering background and problem-solving mindset prove valuable as he oversees Dublin's daily operations, including public service, engineering, transportation, and mobility.
Barker shares candid insights about his first Memorial Tournament experience from the city's perspective, noting the surprising scale of the event and the seamless collaboration across city departments that makes such world-class events possible. This sets the stage for his approach to other major initiatives, including the Capital Improvement Program, West Innovation District, and Sports Ohio Complex.
What stands out most is Barker's servant leadership philosophy. "That's really the leader I want to be," he explains, recounting formative experiences watching leaders who worked alongside their teams through challenges. This approach, combined with his commitment to maintaining Dublin's exceptional standards, offers a glimpse into how the city sustains its remarkable 99% resident satisfaction rating.
The conversation takes personal turns as Barker discusses his Youngstown roots, crediting his wife of nearly 24 years and colleagues as mentors who've helped him develop more open-minded perspectives. A father of two baseball-playing sons, he finds his greatest relaxation watching them play. Plus, stay tuned to hear Mike share with Lindsay and Bruce, his go-to karaoke songs!
Hello and welcome to Link Ahead the City of Dublin podcast. Our listeners know by now we have such a wealth of talent in every department here at the city and you've heard them join our episodes from engineers, city planners, landscape architects and tax experts.
Speaker 2:And today we welcome a relatively new face to Dublin, Mike Barker, our new deputy city manager. Mike, welcome to Link Ahead.
Speaker 3:Good morning, good to see you, glad to be here this morning.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're so glad you're here, and whether it's a new president in the White House or a new corporate CEO, the 100-day mark is often a marker where we just stop and look at how things are going so far. You're kind of in that spot. It's just a little past your 100-day mark here in Dublin, mike, so tell us, how have these first several months been for you here in Dublin?
Speaker 3:Well, I would say, if anything, it's been very energizing. There is so much activity here happening in Dublin and just getting to learn about all that activity, getting to kind of be a part of it and learn my role, learn the role of teams I support, it's been really exciting, I think. At the same time, it's been very informative. We have a really great staff, a really great team around us here and it's been great to just get to know them, get to learn their expertise, because we have so many experts really on this team and really just kind, just kind of understand, uh, you know how the wheels turn here in Dublin and and um, so it's, it's been a great, great hundred days. You might say uh, spending a lot of time listening, which isn't always my, my strong suit, but I was trying to listen and learn uh to to you know how things happen here in Dublin, uh, but giving me an opportunity to kind of see where it might be able to kind of help or just add to a role or purpose here.
Speaker 1:I like it getting the wheels going there. So we just wrapped up a major event, the Memorial Golf Tournament. Now, this was your first one in your new role here, so what did you think?
Speaker 3:I've watched this tournament on TV for many years. I've actually only been to the Memorial Tournament one time, and it 15 years ago or more. Um, you know it was. It was truly amazing. Uh, you, you think that, um, you know, obviously it's on, it's on TV, you know, anyone from anywhere in the world is probably watching that tournament.
Speaker 3:Uh, but to to really see, and I spent Sunday, uh, watching it at home with my son and um, but to just see some of the footage that they have and really the highlight reel that they have of the city of Dublin. It really is a moment of pride, and I've only been here for a short time, but I'm grateful to be a part of this team and to work for a city that has such a high standard and has. You know, we demand excellence here and that's the reason why golf tournaments like the Memorial exist here in the city of Dublin. So it was amazing and again, it was something for me that I felt a great sense of pride about and didn't really know that, didn't feel that coming, but it was pretty great yeah you talk about it, and the city again looked impeccable on the world golf stage and Golf Stage.
Speaker 2:Great job to you and your team for that. Was that daunting for you, knowing this is kind of under your purview.
Speaker 3:I'm probably the last person that deserves any credit in getting the city in the shape that it was in. The reality is we have again an amazing staff, amazing people that you know this isn't their first rodeo, it's not their first year here. They've done this many, many times before. I know in our public service department that team and I think across the city we really have a team that's committed to public service and committed to really providing that world class experience and you know that's kind of the expectation here in Dublin, particularly with the Memorial Tournament. But so, yeah, I mean, you know the good news is exceptional amount of collaboration here across our teams, you know, between teams at public service transportation mobility. Your team has been exceptional just all weekend. The activity, the daily activity of your team. I've noticed it. I've mentioned it to you, not to you, bruce Bruce great job.
Speaker 1:Hey, as long as you're talking to the boss.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, it is a continued, it's an ongoing daily effort around here and it really shows the pride that we as a city have in hosting such a great tournament. So every role here is essential across the city and I think it really it's a total team effort. So I think that that daunting feeling that I had it just it didn't play out that way because, again, we have so many great people that are kind of steering the ship here, that make it happen year in and year out, so it was great.
Speaker 1:Was there anything that surprised you about the planning of the tournament from our end?
Speaker 3:It may sound silly here, but the scale of it, sure, uh, I mean, you know, and, and the outside looking in, you're like, hey, this is a huge tournament. You know it's on, it's on the world scale here and, um, you think, oh, it's big, but it's bigger. It's actually much bigger, uh, even than that. Um, but, uh, you know, again, I think, going back to that team, we have, uh again, people that have done this many times, uh, and I, I felt that there's a lot of confidence in, in kind, of the calm, capable approach, uh, that that our team just brings to the table every year. Um, I think it reflects the experience that we have, uh, that it reflects our confidence in being able to deliver a tournament of this scale, this caliber. So it's again, it's been fantastic.
Speaker 2:Well, you're right, and this sets us up for the rest of the event season. So we'll have July 4th coming up and then followed by the Irish Festival, and it just kind of goes on and on. So people have a lot of experience in that. So I'm glad that you have your first tournament under your belt. Let's dig into your responsibilities for the city a little bit. So you oversee daily operations and services, including engineering, public service, fleet facilities, transportation, mobility, asset management. The list goes on and on. It's a lot, and kind of the bread and butter, so to speak, of our city. What are some of the big initiatives that you're working on right now?
Speaker 3:I think the big one is our capital project, the CIP. You know, I think Dublin is very intentional to have a very robust capital improvement program, five-year program. But just to kind of get into the cycle of those projects to understand you know the goals and objectives that we have behind each of those projects. To understand, um, you know the goals and objectives that we have behind each of those projects, um, that that's a heavy lift. Uh, we're also moving into budget season right now, which has been great because I've been able to utilize, uh, some of the things I've learned, many of the questions that I've asked, and and helping to kind of inform uh what our, what our capital budget looks like moving forward, specifically in 2026. But so you know some of the big initiatives right now. You know, really just kind of evaluating some of the things that we do on an annual basis and just making sure that those are where they need to be.
Speaker 3:We are a growing community and, you know, I think the demands and expectations continue to grow as well. We're very fortunate to have great leadership that gives us a lot of support to continue to meet those expectations. But looking at things like our street program, our sidewalk program, just some basic things that really provide those essential services to our residents and just evaluating opportunities to improve those, maybe to increase some standards here and there, to improve those, maybe to increase some standards here and there. It's nice coming into a community that has such high standards and has already done so many things so well for so long. So it's great that you know nothing's anywhere, nothing's broke by any stretch, but any you know.
Speaker 3:I think there's a good opportunity for some fresh eyes and just to kind of bring a new perspective, to kind of providing, maybe, an enhanced service. You know we have a lot of other development projects that are going on. Of course, our Western Innovation District is a really exciting project and all that that encompasses Sports Ohio Complex is a huge, huge undertaking for the city. I think that that stands to be another, you know, badge of honor here for the city of Dublin. I'm extremely grateful to have an opportunity to have a seat at that table to help participate in what that becomes. So you know those are some big ones right now. Those are the most, I'd say, outward facing ones that our residents and people that visit the city are most likely to have interest in.
Speaker 1:Well, we look far and wide for a position like yours, and we conducted a nationwide search and, fortunately for us, you were just down the road in New Albany as public service director. So what was appealing about taking this role here in Dublin and leaving where you were?
Speaker 3:I had an amazing experience in New Albany and I'm grateful for everything that all the professional opportunities that I was afforded there. You know, dublin is definitely. It's on a larger scale. There's just more of a lot of the same things. The standards are very similar. They're very high.
Speaker 3:Again, the city of Dublin is associated with success. It's a place that people want to be. It's a place that businesses want to locate. It's a place that people want to be. It's a place that businesses want to locate. It's a place where residents want to live. So my appeal was that this is a very relevant city. It is kind of on the next scale of things in terms of just services and everything that we provide to our community. Things in terms of just services and, and, uh, everything that we provide to our community. Um, and professionally, it was just a. It's an amazing opportunity, uh, to take my, take my experience and to continue to kind of grow on that and build, uh, build that here was really an opportunity. So I'm tremendously grateful for having been selected here and just to have the opportunities that I have.
Speaker 2:Well, you talked about your time in New Albany. You were there for 11 years. You were in Westerville before that. So what is it about public service that really inspires you? I?
Speaker 3:probably should mention too even before my time in Westerville, I worked as an engineer in a variety of positions, but I worked in the private sector. I worked primarily in land development. I worked for private developers, did a lot of different work. On that end, I've seen both sides of things. I've seen it from the private sector perspective and then also from the public sector perspective and I've really grown to appreciate the opportunity to serve, to serve the public. Uh, I think that you know, while I've worked for you know a lot of great developers and I'm proud of the projects that I've, that I've been a part of um.
Speaker 3:At the end of the day, too, that's a it's, it's a business decision, it's a money-making opportunity, um, and I feel like working in the public sector it's, it's less of about making money and more about providing a service and um, so I I feel like, uh, more genuinely, there's, there's more of a personal reward to myself, you know, kind of giving back to a community, um, so they benefit from the services that we as a city provide, and I feel like, uh, it's, it's a privilege, I think to, to be able to be a part of a team that gets to deliver those services for our residents. So for me I really feel like my heart is in the right place. I feel like the public sector is the right place for me. Because of that, I just love having the opportunity to give back to the community that really gives so much to us.
Speaker 2:Well, and they do appreciate it. That's the thing. So you talk about high standards, high expectations, but you can feel that the community really appreciates everything that is done in this city.
Speaker 3:Sure.
Speaker 1:Very much. Well, that's a great segue, lindsay. So let's talk about Dublin's most recent numbers. From a survey at the National Research Center at Polko, we ranked higher or much higher in majority of categories measured. So let's start with 99%. 99% of residents rate Dublin a good or excellent place to live. Not too much room for improvement there. So you know. You hear something like that. What comes to mind? What do you think?
Speaker 3:I just think it's a confirmation that you know to our staff, to to our staff and to the leadership, the city, to council, our city manager uh, we're doing a lot of things right, uh, it you? Really, it's hard to beat 99%. I think that the goal there is just to try to maintain that as best we can, and and I know that we have the people and and and uh the priorities in place to to keep it there. But no, I mean that that's a high bar. I think, at the same time, that's that's why I'm here. I mean, I I love working for a place that that has, you know, has high standards. We, I want, we want to be the best, and I think we're not ashamed of that, and it's great to see that the numbers are saying that as well.
Speaker 2:How do we keep this momentum?
Speaker 3:It's. It's a great question. I think a lot of it's. Just we have to continue doing what we've been doing.
Speaker 3:One thing I can say is that I think the responsiveness and the priority that we place on our residents has been it's exceptional.
Speaker 3:I think we place a very high priority in providing meaningful feedback and responses to our residents. We have to keep that exactly where it's at. At the same time, dublin is very unashamed to be the first to market. There's always opportunity for new technology, for new and different ways to kind of perform the same type of work. You know, looking for opportunities to leverage systems and software packages that might add some efficiency, that might reduce some response time, that just give us more of a data-driven response to these daily services that we provide. So I think that that's been a truly exciting thing is just to seeing the technology investment that we have here in Dublin and seeing how we can continue to kind of move forward with those advancements, really with the effort of providing a higher level of service moving forward. So I think that's going to be most important to really not only maintaining our relevance as a community but maintaining these high standards and the success that we've demonstrated here.
Speaker 1:Maybe we'll get that last 1% with all those improvements too. So let's talk more about you, what you like to do and your background. You have two degrees from Youngstown State engineering and an MBA. They say engineers know early on that they have an engineering brain. Did you know that? Like right out of?
Speaker 3:the gate. Yeah, I still don't know if I have an engineering brain. To be honest with you, I think one thing for me is, you know, I grew up in Youngstown, ohio, and that's something I truly wear as a badge of honor. You know, I grew up in a very blue-collar working-class community and I think that was very formative to me, just in, you know, in my childhood, you know, youngstown is kind of a city of grit. Uh, I think that you know I grew up with people that you know didn't have, uh, all the opportunities that people have, you know, um, maybe here in central Ohio, and so you had a lot more, I think, to overcome there. Uh, so I'm very, I'm very proud of that.
Speaker 3:Um, I've always been someone that I like, I like solving puzzles. I like, I like problem solving. Uh, I think that's where my engineering brain is is probably good. I know that when I, when I graduated college, you know do, do I ever use any of the you know the academic background, that that you know that I learned in school, probably, probably not so much, but I think at the same time, uh, what I learned in school was really how to take a huge problem and just how to kind of break those things down into more manageable pieces and kind of solve things incrementally. I think I've developed an engineering brain, just you know, over the past 46 years of my life.
Speaker 2:Well, besides the hard skills you learned in the classroom, did you have maybe a mentor or a boss who helped you in your career with the soft skills of communication and managing people, things like that?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've been very fortunate to just be able to kind of follow some really great people, some great leaders.
Speaker 3:I've had a lot of even peers that I've worked with that have been just a really great example just to watch and admire and kind of aspire to.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, I had a couple of people come to mind, and the first one is my wife actually, and and, uh, you know, she and I were, you know, opposites attract and we're that we are, we are opposite, you know, but I think what, uh, you know, I, I talk a lot of work with her and kind of talk things through with her and and and she always has, she has a perspective that's always very different than mine and I think that because of that I've learned she's really taught me to become more open-minded, particularly as it relates to these soft skills, particularly as it relates to, you know, working with people and personnel management, because we all don't have the same experience, and I think it's all important, for it's important for all of us to recognize that you know, hey, what, what might be normal or what what might be kind of expected of me may not, it might be something different for somebody else, and I think that's OK, and I'm proud that you know she's been, you know we've been married.
Speaker 3:Let's see, six days from now to be 24 years, Wow, Congrats, Thank you. But you know she's, I think, finally impacting me to be a more open-minded person 24 years in Once.
Speaker 2:those six days are.
Speaker 3:That's right, that's right. And then another one too. Her name is Adrienne Jolly City of New Albany, and I worked for her for years and with her for years as well, and kind of similar to my wife in that way. It just has a different way of thinking. And Kind of similar to my wife in that way, just has a different way of thinking. And I think at the end of the day we always kind of came to the same conclusions, but we got there differently and I feel like I've always been drawn to those people as mentors that are just different than I am, because I really, you know, I value that outside perspective, that other perspective that I just don't have the ability to really generate on my own.
Speaker 3:So how would you describe your leadership style?
Speaker 3:You know, I always say that I'm a servant leader and I don't know, I just think that I've worked for some great servant leaders in the past and to me, I just admire that type of leader.
Speaker 3:You know just examples of, I remember, working overnight and working in the private sector and and, uh, you know, and there's four or five of us in the office that are working overnight to meet this, this crazy deadline for a project, and you know I look back and and the owner of the company is right there with us. You know and and uh, but just being someone that's in the trenches with your team and you know, as a person that was working overnight and as a person that was being managed at that point in time, knowing that I'm working for someone that's in the trenches that is willing to do the same work that is being expected of me, that went a long way and I think, at the end of the day, whether I was super excited about the work itself or not, it gave me a mindset to really want to invest in the work, because I know that the people that are responsible for that are also investing in me and supporting me kind of through it all. So that's really the leader I want to be.
Speaker 2:Well, you mentioned your wife, and I met your son out at the Memorial Golf Tournament. Tell us a little bit more about your family.
Speaker 3:Well, I'm very blessed. I have two boys my son, Michael. He just graduated high school. He will be going to University of Cincinnati here in the fall. Very proud of him. And I have a younger son, Garrett. He is a rising sophomore in Gahanna High School. And again, my wife, Fran, as I mentioned, been married for coming up on 24 years. Yeah, I've been very, very fortunate. I think raising, raising these boys with my wife has been by far the greatest experience of my life. And it's, it's crazy to think that you know one is heading off to college right now. But that was, that was a gift and I'm truly grateful for that.
Speaker 2:So well, thank you to them because you know, similar to military families and things like that, public service is a family affair. So I know there are a lot of Monday nights when you're coming home very late from city council meetings and weekends and things like that. So, yeah, hopefully you're inspiring the next generation to give back to their communities as well.
Speaker 3:Sure I hope so.
Speaker 1:So when you're not at those Monday night meetings or you're not working on the weekends, what? What do you do? What's like, what's a hobby, what's what's fun for you? Well, you know this whole dad gig.
Speaker 3:I feel like I feel like my hobbies have become my, my, my kids' hobbies. You're at that point, yeah, which is which has been great. They're both baseball players, they're both great baseball players, and there's nothing I love more than just kind of going to a baseball field, watching them play, watching them do what they do best and what they love best. And, you know, at the same time too, accidentally, there's times where my wife and I can actually be at the same game at the same time, which is remarkable. We get to have a conversation with each other and then watch kids play baseball. Eventually, I will return to the game of golf. Uh, but uh, but it's been a while. Uh, but that, that certainly is a hope.
Speaker 1:Did you ever dip your toe into the coaching realm? Since, I mean, it seems like you, that would be a natural fit for you.
Speaker 3:Uh, you know it was interesting. I coached my older son for a couple years. I was kind of part of a team that helped coach him and his team and he and I were not a great great fit.
Speaker 1:I've been there, I know what you're talking about. You need someone else to coach your son.
Speaker 3:Yep and then. But then my younger son I helped coach his team for many years and it just got to a point and he and I got along real well with that. But it got to a point where you know I'm not a baseball player and they needed somebody with actual baseball skills. Imagine that I can't teach him how to hit a hook or a fade with a baseball bat like he can with a golf club.
Speaker 2:Well, mike, we're so excited that you're here, and we end every episode with rapid fire questions. So are you ready?
Speaker 3:I'm ready.
Speaker 2:All right. What was harder? Getting your undergraduate or master's degree?
Speaker 3:Undergraduate and, quickly, my master's degree. I got my master's degree when I was 40 years old. It's in MBA, it's in organizational leadership, and it was like I had kind of been there done that for so long that it was kind of it felt a little easier A lot of written work and things like that but definitely undergraduate much more difficult.
Speaker 1:All right, hardest engineering class that you never want to think about again.
Speaker 3:Thermodynamics. I'm guessing I'd have some peers that have the same class.
Speaker 2:Sounds terrible. Yeah Well, it's early in your tenure here in Dublin, but do you have a favorite foodie spot in town?
Speaker 3:You know I've gone to the Dublin Village Tavern a few times. It's awesome there, I love it there. It is the best way to finish up Dublin Village Tavern is to go to Johnson's Ice Cream afterwards as well.
Speaker 2:Oh my, Anyway, that's Sounds like a good day.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's a good day.
Speaker 2:We're here in good company, because a lot of people say that, all right, very good, all right.
Speaker 1:How about favorite outdoor venue or park in Dublin?
Speaker 3:You know it's hard to beat Riverside Crossing Park and just with its proximity to Bridge Park and then historic Dublin, I mean it's an amazing area. I mean anything you could want is just right there. Want uh is is just right there. So, um, you know, it's also awesome to be a part of the team that's looking at kind of even expanding that park and just bringing more, uh, more elements to that park. But yeah, that is a uh, that is a hallmark landing spot here in the city of Dublin.
Speaker 2:Or earlier we talked about hobbies and activities. Uh, how about karaoke? Have you ever karaoke and if so, what song? Every single day in my car to and from work.
Speaker 3:What's your go-to song? You're on your way, yeah, anything, peter.
Speaker 1:Cetera. Wow, didn't see that coming.
Speaker 3:Yeah, chicago, chicago, yeah. Okay, I kind of, I don't know, he's been a go-to karaoke guy for me.
Speaker 1:Well, okay, so this next question many engineers are also. You know, they're musically inclined. How about?
Speaker 3:you. So I'm not a musician, unless you count playing the drums on my steering wheel. I'm pretty good at that. It seems like I know it. But yeah, I mean I've always loved music. I'm not. I'm just not the musician.
Speaker 2:So what are you reading right now?
Speaker 3:So I am aspiring to start to read a book.
Speaker 2:In all your spare time.
Speaker 3:It's been a minute. Yeah, I've read many books on leadership in the past and I've just been kind of in a lull at the moment, but on my to-do list is Start With why by Simon Sinek. So good yeah I haven't read that and you know I've followed him for many years and he's really just an inspiring leader. So I just really want to get into that book and just see what I can take away from that.
Speaker 1:All right, actual physical book or Kindle, it's going to have to be a book.
Speaker 3:Okay, yeah, I'm just old school that way.
Speaker 2:But I need a bookmark.
Speaker 3:I need something, you know.
Speaker 2:Okay, are you a beach or a mountain guy? I?
Speaker 3:think I'm a lake guy.
Speaker 1:Ah, I could go for lake guy. Ah, let's go, let's go with that, like yeah, uh, I think you kind of answered this but rock, music, jazz or classical country, country not even on the list, not okay, no right, are you talking old school country or like this newer thing, kind of kind of?
Speaker 3:both. I'm a george straight guy. You know I like a lot of that. Alan jackson, alan jackson, yeah, of course all that toby keith, but you know, some of the newer stuff is pretty good. Eric church, uh, you know, of course Morgan Wallens is the team to beat right now. So yeah, I kind of like it all.
Speaker 2:All right. If there's a big game and a team you love, do you watch at home or meet up with some friends somewhere?
Speaker 3:So, as a Browns fan, I have to watch at home because I always have to be ready to cry.
Speaker 2:I be ready to cry, have to have the tissues nearby.
Speaker 3:It's always an emotional experience, but yeah, I mean, if there's a big game, you know, chances are I'm sitting on the couch with my son Garrett he's my ride or die when it comes to the Cleveland Browns and we sit there and we commiserate together. So, yeah, all right. Lastly, what do you do to relax? Yeah, I mentioned this before, I think just really watching my sons play baseball. I think that's the, that's the best thing. And you know, I'm, I'm, you know, like, like all of us, I'm, I'm kind of tied to my cell phone at times and and, uh, I actually realized that, you know, watching my boys play baseball, that that's actually a time where I probably don't even know where my phone's at. It's a great disconnect for me because you know, I'm really interested in what they're doing and how they're you know the experience they're having.
Speaker 2:So to me that's a great disconnect is just watching them do what they love most. Well, mike, we're so glad that you're here on Team Dublin and thank you for joining us on Link Ahead.
Speaker 3:Thank you, I'm so glad to be here.
Speaker 1:I appreciate it and, to our listeners, thank you as well for taking the time to connect with your city. Tune in next time as we continue to explore the many personalities and experiences that make Dublin a thriving place to live, work and grow. Thank you.