A moment with Troy Clarkson, Plymouth County Administrator

Published on Monday, November 23, 2009

What is your role as Plymouth County Administrator?
I manage the day-to-day activities of the Plymouth County government on behalf of three elected County Commissioners – to put it in business lingo, I act as the county’s CEO under the direction of the commissioners acting as the Board of Directors. This regional public entity provides services and local governmental support to nearly 500,000 residents in 27 communities in Eastern Massachusetts, reaching as far as Hull to the north, Brockton to the west, Mattapoissett to the south, and, of course, Plymouth.

With slightly more than $1.2 million in direct taxation, we are the most efficient and least expensive resource for our taxpayers. We provide a host of regional services, including the cooperative purchases of public safety vehicles and equipment, agricultural education through our Cooperative Extension, and maintenance of the County’s courthouses.

Can you assess the current economic and business climate in Plymouth County?
As with all regions in Massachusetts, the recession has hit us hard in America’s first county. From reduced transactions and resulting revenues at the Registry of Deeds, to reductions in personnel in every county department, the economic struggles have hit us hard. The county saw a 15 percent reduction in its workforce at the beginning of this fiscal year. We are, I believe, turning the corner, though. County Commissioner Chairman Anthony T. O’Brien confers regularly with Register of Deeds John Buckley to assess revenues, and has recently convened a team of budget experts within the County to track our financial health on a regular basis. Our county has a diverse economic base, with varied industries from tourism to cranberries to health care providing a strong base to weather the current financial storm.

What economic development initiatives are currently under way?
New and exciting stimulus programs, like the Recovery Bond Program, which will see more than $42 million in low-interest bond funds flow through Plymouth County, will give public and private developers alike the opportunity to improve infrastructure and facilities in economic target areas within the county. In addition, the commissioners have recently released a Request for Qualifications to create renewable energy on over 100 acres of public land in the county. This process will stimulate development of millions of dollars of renewable infrastructure and create both new jobs and sustainable energy that will benefit all of the county’s communities. Excess power from this initiative may be made available at discounted rates to towns in the area.

What resources can you recommend for businesses looking to survive and thrive through this period?
As a former small business owner myself, I believe the ability to simply survive in this most difficult economic period is the primary objective. While the expertise on how that survival is achieved lies in the small business owners who are the backbone of our regional economy, we at the regional governmental level can assist as well. The commissioners recently approved regional cooperative bids for local governments to outfit their buildings, departments and personnel with the tools, equipment and supplies to conduct their services. New bids are being contemplated; business owners can contact our office for more information on participating.

What do you see as the connections between Plymouth County and Barnstable County?
The obvious connection between the two counties is the physical, geographic link between them. Plymouth and Barnstable counties also share a rich cultural, historical and agricultural heritage that binds us together as much today as it did nearly 400 years ago. The leaders of the county governments in both areas are also committed to similar initiatives – regionalization chief among them – and regularly share information to foster cooperation. Recently, Barnstable County Commissioner Sheila Lyons attended a meeting of Plymouth County Selectmen to share ideas on how Cape towns are working together to increase efficiencies and cut
costs. This kind of partnership is increasing, and can only benefit citizens on both sides of the bridges.

What do you envision for the future of the region?
The current revenue and budget crunch will not abate anytime soon. As local towns continue to struggle to maintain services with limited revenues, the county’s expertise in providing regional services with minimal administrative and overhead costs will help create smarter, leaner local governments. As the commissioners’ renewable energy initiative becomes a reality, Plymouth County will also emerge as a leader in the creation of green, sustainable jobs. ■

Troy B.G. Clarkson is Plymouth County Administrator. He can be reached at (508) 830-9100 or tclarkson@plymouthcounty-ma.org.