By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
The city of Taylor Mill will be saying goodbye to their Chief Administrative Officer Brian Haney at the end of July. Even though he has only been at the city eight years, Haney has made such an impression on everyone, that people are trying to put on a brave face for his departure.
According to Haney, the plan to retire has always been on the table, and he kind of felt that when the time came, he would know it.
“My dad retired and then passed away at 62,” Haney said. “I don’t want to do that. I would like to enjoy retirement.”
Haney was born and raised in Carter County. He attended Eastern Kentucky University for both his undergrad and his Masters Degree in Public Administration.
“During grad school I was offered an internship in the Kentucky Environmental Protection Agency, and that put me working in Frankfort,” he recalled. “I lived in Richmond, and worked in Frankfort, writing grants for wastewater treatment.”
Later, he read an ad in the paper that said the city of Ludlow was looking for a City Administrator, and he applied for the position and was hired.
That started a career in Northern Kentucky, and he never looked back.
“I was working in Ludlow for about two years,” he said. “Garry Edmondson had stepped into the Kenton County Attorney position, and my friend Patsy Summe was part of his support group. She convinced me to hitch my wagon to his star, and so I applied to his office, and was hired as the Director of Administration, a position I held from 1994 until 2018.”
Haney said that during the last few years working for Garry Edmondson the thought of retiring started to crop up in his mind.
Then he heard about Taylor Mill.
The city of Taylor Mill was going through a contentious period where commissioners were arguing with each other on a regular basis, and over time, employees were finding other employment because the atmosphere was hard to take. So when the CAO position opened up, Haney heard the call to arms.
“I thought, I’ve got a few more good years in me,” he said. “I knew it was a challenge, and I was up to the challenge. I got the job, and then had five bosses.”
Haney was up to the challenge and more. With his signature dimpled smile and conciliatory attitude he was able to soothe the troubled waters, work with all his bosses, and make things work, because the wheels of the city work better when everyone decides to work together.
Getting people to work together is a talent that Haney has.
“I would like to think that the thing I am most proud of accomplishing in my eight years here is that I have brought more unity, and cohesiveness in the employees,” Haney said. “We have a good team. We celebrate each others’ wins.”
Not everything has been on the up side in his career.
Despite the great working atmosphere, Haney said the most frustrating part of his eight years was the new Firehouse.
“In my mind, putting in the Firehouse was nothing but good, a win/win for everybody,” Haney stated. “But there are two sides to everything. I had to come to understand that everyone had their own versions of truth and good, and I do respect that. It was a difficult time, a frustrating time, and I learned a lot.”
It is now almost July, and the closer the end of July comes, the more real it becomes that the city’s fearless leader is going away.
The mayor and commissioners are putting on their brave faces and getting ready to choose a talented person to take Haney’s place.
“We have had 34 applications for the position,” said Haney. “The commissioners will meet on the first of the week, July 6, and go through the applications that I have already thinned down and given recommendations about, and I will start to set up interviews with the candidates. I would like to see someone hired so that I can spend a few days showing them around before I leave.”
Realistically, when someone retires, they tend to have a plan, even if it is rudimentary, of what they will do with all their free time.
Haney has a plan. Sort of a multi-faceted plan.
“I have lived in my house for 26 years, and I have never even painted my bedroom,” he said. “I have a lot of projects at my house that I have always wanted to do, but never had the time to do. I will now have the time.”
He would like to travel, but with two dogs who don’t really like to travel, that idea is uncertain at best. However, they will put up with the two hours it takes to travel to his mother’s house, which is located next to his sister’s house in Carter County.
“I like to go down there, and I feel like I can help my sister and take my mom to doctor appointments and such,” he said. “Family is always important, and I like to help out while enjoying my family.”
In addition, Haney said he has always wanted to try out photography. He has a couple of nice cameras, and he hasn’t given them a proper workout to see exactly what features he can take advantage of to produce memories and memorable photos.
But most of all, Haney is looking forward to having nothing to do. Looking forward to putting his feet up and sitting as long as he wants, watching the dogs play, or reading the stack of books he has lined up for perusal.
He realizes that the plan could get old, in which case he will then find something else to do.
“I know that society has changed, and that changes the job I do,” Haney said. “People want a lot more, and sometimes they lack appreciation for the job that you do. If you struggle to make it look easy, then they want more. There seems to be less ‘civil’ in the civil society. Public service is good, and I like it when there is a mutual appreciation. I plan to step back a little and appreciate life and dogs and family more.”
Mayor Dan Bell is sorry to see him go, because they have had a great working relationship.
“Brian Haney has done an excellent job for Taylor Mill,” he said. “The city was extremely fortunate to be able to hire Brian after a solid professional career at the County Attorney’s office. His background knowledge of city government is off the charts in all the phases, including finance, economic development, insurance, planning and zoning, and handling the day to day issues that crop up in city government. The measure of respect employees show Brian is why he is a successful Chief Administrative Officer. Brian will be hard to replace because of the high bar he has established. I wish him well!”