Q & A: Caroline Segalla (Printed Dec. 25, 2009)
By Suzanne Hodgson
Staff Writer
The Post sat down with Caroline Segalla, Kennebunk’s new director of community development to discuss her promotion from assistant town planner and her holiday traditions.
Post: Can you explain the new position?
Segalla: I’ve been promoted to the director of community development, planning and codes. I’m really excited about the opportunity and thankful to Barry Tibbetts for offering me this position. Basically I’m working a lot with the planning staff and codes staff.
Right now I’ve been observing and listening. We’ve had meetings just to see what everybody’s goals are, and really emphasize that we’re a team; and to work as a team and help each other out to accomplish each of the department’s goals.
I’m managing the code and planning department. I’m just going to take it one day at a time and do the best I can. If I need help I’ll ask for help but I’m really looking forward to working in this position, it’s a good opportunity for me.
Post: So what are the department’s goals?
Segalla: A priority right now is organization. In the municipality there’s a lot of paperwork so the goal is to one day maybe go paperless. That’s going to be a monumental task – maybe scanning things and digitizing and making it more available to the public as well. Even if there’s a snowstorm and appraisers come in to look at files then at least they can know the stuff is available online as well.
The other [goal] is to continue our excellent customer service. Also, maybe having certain goals for turnaround times for permits and inspections, things of that nature. There’s a lot going on but it’s all beneficial to the community.
Post: With all the different town committees and goals you have set for your department, how are you going to have your foot in all these different places?
Segalla: I thought about that, I have everybody’s e-mail addresses and everything, but the biggest thing to do is have an initial meeting with just the chairs [of town committees] and try to see what each committee’s goals are and what they’re working on to try to prevent overlap.
I’d like to go out to one of their meetings and just be a guest and listen and observe and ask questions. Just creating more consistency and less overlap because they’re all working for the benefit of Kennebunk, that’s something I’m looking forward to doing.
There’s a component in this job description that pretty much helps the local businesses. We help the businesses every day when they come in because they have to go through our department for codes, planning and things of that nature. We sit down with the business owners or potential business owners or the business owner that’s looking to expand, and we sit down with them and go through the ordinance with them and simplify it.
What we’re doing now is we’re collecting any information Kennebunk Business Inventory lists on the Kennebunk town Web site now. It lists the business name, where they are located if they have a Web site, e-mail address. That’s what else we’re collecting when we sit down with them. They appreciate that because it’s getting their business out there.
Post: You used to be the assistant town planner and now you’re director. How did the promotion come about?
Segalla: The town manager restructured the departments in the town hall and it involved having a department head for various departments within the town hall system.
Barry’s under the board of selectmen and I’m under Barry and I report to him. This was the last one that needed a department head and he made that offer to me and I said “OK.”
Post: What is your history in planning?
Segalla: I’m from California and I moved out to Maine in 2004. I went to school in California at Cal State North Ridge. I studied urban studies and planning there with an emphasis in community development. I did several internships while out in California.
To keep it short, I met my now husband in Alaska and we traveled and we ended up in Maine. Love and compromise is why I’m here, but now I really love Maine. In 2004 I worked for the town of Old Orchard Beach. I just moved to Maine and two weeks after that I landed a job. I learned a lot there from the folks who were there.
I saw this opportunity and applied here back in 2007. Here I am. I really like Maine, I like the communities here. It’s smaller, you can really see things and make things happen.
Everybody’s so friendly and approachable and really willing to work with you.
Post: Are there any big holiday traditions in your family?
Segalla: My husband’s from Massachusetts so we usually head down to Massachusetts and spend time with my in-laws and they do the whole “White Elephant Game” [Yankee Swap].
Post: Do you have a Christmas tree?
Segalla: I have a pink Christmas tree. My cats love it to death so it usually ends up on the floor.
I’m on the Buxton Garden Club as well, so we had a tree festival and this year I thought I’m going to do something different. So I did a little mini pink tree and I put little buttons on it and just called it “cute as a button,” so I’ll probably just use that. My cats are going to tear it up.
Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.
Staff Writer
The Post sat down with Caroline Segalla, Kennebunk’s new director of community development to discuss her promotion from assistant town planner and her holiday traditions.
Post: Can you explain the new position?
Segalla: I’ve been promoted to the director of community development, planning and codes. I’m really excited about the opportunity and thankful to Barry Tibbetts for offering me this position. Basically I’m working a lot with the planning staff and codes staff.
Right now I’ve been observing and listening. We’ve had meetings just to see what everybody’s goals are, and really emphasize that we’re a team; and to work as a team and help each other out to accomplish each of the department’s goals.
I’m managing the code and planning department. I’m just going to take it one day at a time and do the best I can. If I need help I’ll ask for help but I’m really looking forward to working in this position, it’s a good opportunity for me.
Post: So what are the department’s goals?
Segalla: A priority right now is organization. In the municipality there’s a lot of paperwork so the goal is to one day maybe go paperless. That’s going to be a monumental task – maybe scanning things and digitizing and making it more available to the public as well. Even if there’s a snowstorm and appraisers come in to look at files then at least they can know the stuff is available online as well.
The other [goal] is to continue our excellent customer service. Also, maybe having certain goals for turnaround times for permits and inspections, things of that nature. There’s a lot going on but it’s all beneficial to the community.
Post: With all the different town committees and goals you have set for your department, how are you going to have your foot in all these different places?
Segalla: I thought about that, I have everybody’s e-mail addresses and everything, but the biggest thing to do is have an initial meeting with just the chairs [of town committees] and try to see what each committee’s goals are and what they’re working on to try to prevent overlap.
I’d like to go out to one of their meetings and just be a guest and listen and observe and ask questions. Just creating more consistency and less overlap because they’re all working for the benefit of Kennebunk, that’s something I’m looking forward to doing.
There’s a component in this job description that pretty much helps the local businesses. We help the businesses every day when they come in because they have to go through our department for codes, planning and things of that nature. We sit down with the business owners or potential business owners or the business owner that’s looking to expand, and we sit down with them and go through the ordinance with them and simplify it.
What we’re doing now is we’re collecting any information Kennebunk Business Inventory lists on the Kennebunk town Web site now. It lists the business name, where they are located if they have a Web site, e-mail address. That’s what else we’re collecting when we sit down with them. They appreciate that because it’s getting their business out there.
Post: You used to be the assistant town planner and now you’re director. How did the promotion come about?
Segalla: The town manager restructured the departments in the town hall and it involved having a department head for various departments within the town hall system.
Barry’s under the board of selectmen and I’m under Barry and I report to him. This was the last one that needed a department head and he made that offer to me and I said “OK.”
Post: What is your history in planning?
Segalla: I’m from California and I moved out to Maine in 2004. I went to school in California at Cal State North Ridge. I studied urban studies and planning there with an emphasis in community development. I did several internships while out in California.
To keep it short, I met my now husband in Alaska and we traveled and we ended up in Maine. Love and compromise is why I’m here, but now I really love Maine. In 2004 I worked for the town of Old Orchard Beach. I just moved to Maine and two weeks after that I landed a job. I learned a lot there from the folks who were there.
I saw this opportunity and applied here back in 2007. Here I am. I really like Maine, I like the communities here. It’s smaller, you can really see things and make things happen.
Everybody’s so friendly and approachable and really willing to work with you.
Post: Are there any big holiday traditions in your family?
Segalla: My husband’s from Massachusetts so we usually head down to Massachusetts and spend time with my in-laws and they do the whole “White Elephant Game” [Yankee Swap].
Post: Do you have a Christmas tree?
Segalla: I have a pink Christmas tree. My cats love it to death so it usually ends up on the floor.
I’m on the Buxton Garden Club as well, so we had a tree festival and this year I thought I’m going to do something different. So I did a little mini pink tree and I put little buttons on it and just called it “cute as a button,” so I’ll probably just use that. My cats are going to tear it up.
Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.
Posted by Post Editor at 12/23/2009 10:48 AM 
Categories: Kennebunk
Tags: Development Downtown Businesses Budgets and Taxes Buy local Planning Kennebunk People Economy
Categories: Kennebunk
Tags: Development Downtown Businesses Budgets and Taxes Buy local Planning Kennebunk People Economy
Caroline is a positive person, force to be reckoned with, and has a can do attitude. She was very helpful when she was in Old Orchard Beach. I know she will pour herself into the job and do well. Congratulations Kennebunk, its just the medicine we need.
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