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BARBARA SONDAG NAMED NEW CITY MANAGER OF OLIVETTE
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BARBARA SONDAG NAMED NEW CITY MANAGER OF OLIVETTE
New talent will bring an eye for efficiency, cooperation and celebrating diversity
(ST. LOUIS / January 14, 2014) Olivette’s new City Manager is ready to position the city for the future, and channel the strengths of its unique community.
To the new position of City Manager for the City of Olivette, Barbara Sondag brings with her 16 years of experience in civic leadership. Ready to build on a solid foundation and move the community forward, Sondag hopes to improve the efficiency of Olivette’s civic systems and services, and to harness the strength of its diverse population.
Sondag attributes much of her enthusiasm for her new job to her strong and supportive staff and sees this as a key to the city’s success. “Since I’ve begun, everyone in this office has been eager to pitch in to get the job done. The common question around here is ‘How can I help you?’”, Sondag explains. It is so nice to work with so many people who truly care about each other and their city”
She also lauds an active, congenial City Council. “Members of the council are incredibly respectful of one another. They listen to each other and work well together,” she explains. Sondag believes that a strong City Council makes for a well-running community. “Working together and staying in constant communication will really help Olivette get things done”.
If a strong city council and staff will allow for a more efficiently run city, then Olivette is on the right path under its new leadership. A time of change for many municipalities, Olivette’s new City Manager sees this as a time of possibility. “We have a real opportunity to be better coordinated and more efficient. Olivette already has a great foundation. I see my role as an opportunity to poise it for a bright future”. Some of the improvements Sondag will look into include providing more efficient services to citizens, bringing department heads and staff together, and incorporating more data-backing and statistical analysis.
The City of Olivette has long been known for its diverse population. Sondag is eager to utilize this quality to enrich the community and its programs. She explains that “our wide range of socio-economic, racial and professional diversity makes us stand out in the region. This is a big part of what makes Olivette such a special community, and I want to nourish this.”
Delighted by a warm reception into the community, Sondag is feeling back at home in the St. Louis area, having grown up in the Metro East. She moved back with her partner Kathryn and their two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys exercising at “The J”, running and cooking.
“It’s really remarkable the number of people who’ve been so giving of themselves and their talents”, explains Sondag. “But the other great part is that there’s lots of laughter here. Olivette really has it all”.
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