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In a couple of weeks Deputy City Manager Weldon Rucker, 59, will slip into the role of interim city manager. The 40-year Berkeley resident has worked for the city in various capacities for 28 years and served as interim city manager from 1993-96. In the first part of this two-part interview, he talks about some of the challenges that lie ahead. 

Daily Planet: So, are you excited about this position? 

Weldon Rucker: Am I excited? I think I’m starting to get excited. I think I’ve just remained somewhat low key because we’re still in a state of transition. I’m trying to wait for the moment to actually secure the reins and really feel the difference. I haven’t acquired that feeling yet.  

(City Manager) Jim (Keene)’s been on vacation this week and I believe next week. 

DP: I thought he was officially gone. He isn’t? 

RUCKER: Aug. 5 was when he was, like, leaving, but he was going on vacation, but he’s sort of been on a working vacation. He’s been in and out, finalizing some things. Taking care of some business. Technically he’s still the city manager. I’m sort of one foot here and one foot there. And yet trying to be respectful of the situation. 

DP: So when will you actually take over? 

RUCKER: I’ll start on the 20th. 

So I’m starting to get ready. What I’ve been doing is meeting with all the department directors. I haven’t finalized that process. Just getting some orientation and assessment of where they are with certain issues and where the problems lie, where we need to devote the energy to the work plan, and council items over the next few months so that I can get my barrings and be in a better position to provide some leadership. 

It’s also a way to connect with them in a different way, because, even though I play a role as a deputy and can act in (City Manager)Jim (Keene)’s absence, it’s still a little different. Some of them I’ve worked with before as the manager, so that portion is pretty easy to connect. They already know my style. I know their style.  

But a few people – we have new department directors. So It’s getting acquainted, getting a level of understanding, just building positive working relationships. 

DP: How would you characterize your style? 

RUCKER: My style? I think I’m pretty firm but fair; I’m pretty open to ideas, I allow people to achieve to the best of their abilities and work within the context of a team effort. 

Where I have to get firm is when I think we’re operating outside of the parameters and where we are creating a potential detriment to the city. 

I think I’m fair from the standpoint of speaking my mind. I’m direct and very clear so that there’s no ambiguity relative to a given situation. 

I try to function more as a team leader or a coach. Sort of along those lines, rather than “I’m the boss. You do as I say.” That’s a pretty antiquated style of management. I think we have very intelligent people here. Just sometimes, they don’t have all the experience and wherewithal in a given situation.  

So just coaching and providing guidance is primarily the style I employ. 

DP: Does it put you in a difficult position, being the interim city manager? 

RUCKER: No, not really. You know I’ve served as acting city manger for three years previously. And I think, in reality, when the city manager serves at the pleasure of the City Council, you serve on a in or out basis anyway. 

You’re the acting city manager from a technical standpoint and legal standpoint, and you try to meet the expectations of all those involved. They want the job done. There’s really no difference. 

Then I have my own work ethic where I believe in doing a good job. 

I don’t approach the job, like, “This is just ‘acting,’” so I could just go through the motions or pretend. I intend to give it my best regardless. It really has no bearing. 

The unanimous support of the council, I thought was very critical. Because if there was some doubt or equivocation, or less than unanimity, it would have placed my status in some doubt. So with that support, people understand that I have the backing of the council. People understand they still have to deal with me until there’s another change. 

DP: Suppose you’re city mange for six months, which is the time-frame you may be looking at, with the council starting to do a search after the elections. What do you see as the greatest challenges in the next six months? 

RUCKER: Interestingly, we have some huge challenges. No. 1, is to complete the public safety building work and the ultimate relocation of the safety staff to the new facility. That’s coming up fairly quickly. 

DP: What are the time lines for that? 

RUCKER: Initially, my understanding was that it was supposed to be the first part of September, but, unofficially, I’ve heard there may be some delays. I haven’t seen notification, so there may be some delay. 

DP: It was supposed to be July.  

RUCKER: Right, but you know how these construction projects go, so it seems that we’re into that mode, now.  

DP: Does that mean it’s costing the city more money? 

RUCKER: I don’t think it’s costing more money. I think now they have to make sure that the products that they contracted for meet those standards. I think they’re in a correction mode now. It could take a few more weeks.  

The other big item is the election, insuring that that takes place with efficiency and due diligence. Not from a political standpoint, but from a management standpoint, providing the city clerk with the proper staff and proper support to insure that that process is complete. 

DP: That’s an ongoing problem, isn’t it – staffing the clerk’s office? 

RUCKER: It’s been a problem, but part of my assessment and orientation with (City Clerk Sherry Kelly) the other day, and also, feedback from the council, is that they want to make sure that that department is fully operational. So I’ve more or less given her the green light to secure whatever positions are necessary. And if that means we have to reassign some other staff to help out in the interim, we’ll do that, and to expedite whatever hiring procedures, we’ll do that.  

She needs our support. I’m sure you’ve been down there. A lot of people don’t realize how challenging it is to run and manage an election. And then, she also manages the agenda process, it’s really cumbersome. I’ll also be working with the rest of the department directors and other key staff to look at ways we can contribute to that process, to make it less burdensome for the city clerk. 

Then the other big item is going to be the relocation to the Civic Center Building, which is scheduled for, I would say, probably early January, after the first of the year. And getting everybody prepared for that.  

DP: That’s late too, right? Wasn’t part of the staff going to be in September and part later?  

RUCKER: No, it was going to be part in November-December. In reality, that didn’t make a lot of sense anyway. That was a real projection, it would be something to try to move, then you would have the election, taking place. And then if you have a run-off or something like that, you’re into December. So more than likely, we would still look at doing some moving in December, but then you have the holidays. We’re still looking at that. You still have the buildings scheduled to meet the opening of late December. We still have that projection. Those are the major events that have taken us pretty close to that six month period. Then we still have the day to day work we still have to participate in.