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Hayden town manager shows excitement after 1st week on the job

Jack Weinstein
David Torgler has stepped into the position of Hayden’s town manager.
John F. Russell

Hayden budget projects decreasing sales tax dollars

Hayden’s 2011 budget forecasts sales tax revenues at $725,000, a decrease from the $769,500 projected for 2010.

“This is a conservative approach and should hopefully alleviate the need to adjust forecasts downward later in 2011,” then-Interim Town Manager Lance Stewart and Finance Director Lisa Dowling wrote in a budget overview to Town Council members.

In the 2011 budget, general fund revenues of nearly $1.8 million exceed expenditures by more than $125,000. Enterprise fund revenues exceed expenditures by more than $23,000, contingent upon $200,000 in grant funding the town expects to get this year. If the funding isn’t obtained, expenditures will be decreased.

This year, Hayden will add a full-time equivalent position that will be shared between the public works and utility departments.

The Hayden Police Department will add a full-time officer, which will be paid by grant funding. Parks and Recreation Department Director Kathy Hockett will remain at half time.

Hayden Town Council members approved the 2011 budget last month.





David Torgler has stepped into the position of Hayden’s town manager.
John F. Russell

Hayden budget projects decreasing sales tax dollars

Hayden’s 2011 budget forecasts sales tax revenues at $725,000, a decrease from the $769,500 projected for 2010.

“This is a conservative approach and should hopefully alleviate the need to adjust forecasts downward later in 2011,” then-Interim Town Manager Lance Stewart and Finance Director Lisa Dowling wrote in a budget overview to Town Council members.

In the 2011 budget, general fund revenues of nearly $1.8 million exceed expenditures by more than $125,000. Enterprise fund revenues exceed expenditures by more than $23,000, contingent upon $200,000 in grant funding the town expects to get this year. If the funding isn’t obtained, expenditures will be decreased.



This year, Hayden will add a full-time equivalent position that will be shared between the public works and utility departments.

The Hayden Police Department will add a full-time officer, which will be paid by grant funding. Parks and Recreation Department Director Kathy Hockett will remain at half time.



Hayden Town Council members approved the 2011 budget last month.

— You can see it in his expression and hear it in his voice. David Torgler is excited to be Hayden’s new town manager.

Torgler, 51, was all smiles Thurs­­day afternoon, four days into his first week on the job. It was, after all, only his fifth day in Hayden after arriving with his wife, Carmen, on Sunday night.

He called it a hectic first week and one that flew by. It started early Monday.

Torgler was invited to attend a joint meeting between the Hay­­den Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Hay­­den Economic Development Com­­mission. Members of the Hay­­den Town Council and Hay­­den School Board also were invited.

The meeting, as described by Torgler, seemed to epitomize the reason he took the job. He said there was so much enthusiasm for Hayden and its economic development possibilities.

“There’s a lot of opportunities here,” he said. “One of the things we need to work together on is how we will pay for things that will benefit us the most. The town has some financial issues that most of the country is experiencing. But we have the support of the town, a good mayor and Town Council.”

Torgler said his first order of business was getting to know the town’s staff, council members and visiting facilities to understand the priorities of the community. He said that was the key to creating a work plan for Hayden that he will present to the Town Council.

He’s trying to figure out how to continue the work started by former Town Manager Russ Martin, who left in July to be town manager in Camp Verde, Ariz., and interim Town Manager Lance Stewart.

Stewart, who worked with Tor­­gler last week, said the transition is going smoothly.

“He’s got a strong background in economic development and downtown development that should be advantageous to the community,” he said. “He seems to already be gaining respect from the department heads. Because I was integral in the hiring process, I’ll say we made a good choice with the candidates we had to work with.”

Torgler, a Chicago native, has more than 25 years of experience in public administration.

He was the city ad­­min­­istrator for Leavenworth, Wash., from January 2009 to Dec­­em­­ber 2009. Before that, Torgler was the town manager for Winter Park from August 2007 to September 2008.

The Torglers took their time traveling from Leavenworth two weeks ago. He said they left Dec. 29 and didn’t arrive in Hayden until Sunday night. After he and Carmen are settled in, Torgler said they’re looking forward to getting to know people in community and taking advantage of the outdoor opportunities available near Hayden.

Torgler already has made an impression on Hayden Chamber Board President Karen Gilroy, who said during her two interactions with Torgler, he has expressed his desire to work closely with community groups. One of those occasions was the joint meeting Monday.

Gilroy said the group didn’t put too much pressure on the new town manager.

“We did put him on the spot for a second,” she said. “He just did come to Hayden on Monday. He told us he wanted to listen and learn. He was well received.”


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