Rosie Blacketer
Staff Writer

Nick Hernandez has officially taken the reins of Osage City as city manager. He has moved to town with his wife, Andrea, three-year-old daughter, Annicka, and four-month-old son, Alex.

“My wife and I just love the town.” Hernandez said. “We have been here only a week but everything we have seen has been great.”

He said his family has met more neighbors in Osage City than anyplace they have lived. Townspeople have gone out of their way to greet the family.

“My neighbors, it is so nice to know them and how wonderful and nice they are, I have never had neighbors like this,” he said.

“I took this job because it would be a great community to raise a family in,” he said. “My wife and I are both from a small town and we have seen the benefits of living in a small town. I want to continue to help mold the community into something everyone can be proud of, which they already are.”

He previously worked for the city of Salina as a management intern before promoted to management assistant. Prior to Salina, he worked at Wichita State University as a graduate assistant. He also served in the Marine Corps for four years.

Hernandez has a bachelor’s degree in justice studies from Fort Hays State University, a master’s degree in public administration from Wichita State University and certificates in public finance, and city and county management.

He said he believes Osage City has a good city council with forward thinkers to work with; he knows they can work very well together.

“Osage City may have some problems,” he said, “but we can get through it and we can fix whatever it may be.”

He feels that everyone has the same ideas, vision and goals for the community.

“The council has been to different parts of the country and the state and have seen some small towns die,” Hernandez said. “They want to make sure that this town doesn’t die, but lasts. They have their eyes to the future. I just hope that I can help the council and community reach their goals.”

Hernandez said it is his responsibility to keep the council well informed so they can make well-formed decisions. It is also his responsibility, he said, to make sure the council acts in compliance with the law.

He said he believes he has a staff to inform him of things he needs to know.

“I have a great staff,” he said. “I have a lot of hard workers and they put forth effort that is tremendous.”

He said he has not been in town long enough to fully examine ongoing issues, some of which have been delayed due to the search for a city manager. Former city manager Brian Silcott resigned in March.

A comprehensive review of the budget will be needed, he said, so he can understand the city’s financial position.

He said his goal would be for the city’s fees to remain at a level that maintains service Osage City citizens are accustomed to, but not cost more than necessary.

“There are going to be some increases and people are going to wonder what is going on,” he said. “I know everything is up with groceries and gas, but the city will probably have to increase also.”

“All small towns are feeling a crunch right now, the cost of business is going up,” he said.

Some projects underway or being considered when Silcott resigned included a hiking and biking trail through the city along an old railroad right-of-way, improved cell phone service, and municipal Wi-Fi service.

Hernandez said he will be taking a fresh look at the rails-to-trails project to ensure the city can overcome the challenges for a reasonable cost. The council approved the project, but he feels there will be a lot of tough questions that will need answered.

“Everything comes at a cost and if the city sees the benefit being more than the cost,” he said, “then it will be great for the community.”

On the topic of cell phone service, he said, “In today’s age a community needs cell service for personal and business use alike. The cell phone is a priority, and a community needs it if they want to attract people and businesses to town.”

He said he will be gathering information about the cell phone issues and the Wi-Fi proposal to present to the council for their decisions about the direction the city should proceed.

“There are a lot of challenges out there with the economy the way it is and there will be tough decisions,” he said. “I am ready for it.”

He also thinks the public should be involved in decisions made by the council.

“I am a person that puts the public ahead of everyone else and I want the public to be well informed also,” he said. “I want them to have a say in things. I look out for the people who can’t look out for themselves … I value that public input.”

He would like to see more people attend the council meetings and see more information in the newspaper.

Hernandez will be walking around town to meet residents and business owners, going to community events, games, and making himself available. He wants people to know that they can come and talk to him. He said he will have an open door policy and wants people to tell him how they feel about the community.

“I don’t want them to hold back. I want to know exactly what they think and feel and what needs to be improved,” he said. “We can sit down and have a discussion on any issue and find some common ground.

“I want to be someone who people can approach and not be afraid of.”

He wants citizens to see that he is working for everyone who lives in Osage City.

He feels Osage City is a great community that has a lot to offer, and is in control of its destiny by providing its own utilities. He believes the town’s assets such as schools, new housing, and development, should be made known to business owners, possibly enticing more businesses to town.

Osage City’s commuter population must be considered as important to the town also, he said.

“A lot of people are moving back to the big city due to the economy and gas prices,” he said. “They may not want to live there, but they can’t afford to live in the bedroom communities. I would like to work with the big companies in Topeka, maybe to bus people to jobs. This helps our community and the businesses that are looking for good employees.”

He does not want Osage City to stagnate or start losing population or services, he said, but “the small town atmosphere is a great asset to have in today’s environment.”

Hernandez officially started his job Aug. 18. He has signed a 16-month contract, renewable annually after that, and will be paid a yearly wage of $63,000.

“We plan to stay and we want to see our children grow up in this town,” he said. “I hope the community gives me a chance, and I hope I can prove myself to them being granted this chance.”