Politics & Government
Q & A: Meet St. Michael City Administrator Steve Bot
Steve Bot stepped into his new dual role on Monday, July 2.
It is business as usual for the city of St. Michael who bid farewell to their city administrator Bob Derus on June 29. City engineer Steve Bot, dubbed as the "heir" by Derus, stepped into his new dual role the following Monday.
Bot is no "newbie" to the St. Michael scene. He's lived in St. Michael with his wife and two sons since 2005, and has been working for the city for 10 years this coming November. He was part of both the Highway 241 project and the one-way pair project that have happened in recent years.
Patch: How have you prepared for this new role within the city?
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Bot: Bob [Derus] prepared us all by giving almost a year's notice and has really worked with me this past year to help prepare me. I did most of the budget in 2011 with him overseeing me. He really did a good job at letting me do things and ask questions.
Patch: Even though you've been with St. Michael for awhile now, where were you before?
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Bot: I worked in both Hopkins and Plymouth and was previously with an engineering consulting firm before I was hired as the Public Works Director/City Engineer.
Patch: What do you think will be the most challenging in your new dual role?
Bot: Coming from an engineering background I wasn't in on the day to day finance piece of things but I think that Sue Ferbuyt and Sharry Berning have a great handle on all of that.
Patch: What are you most excited about?
Bot: I think we have such a great thing going that when I was offered the opportunity I wanted to keep it going. I'm excited for the challenge and I'm not afraid of the long hours and hard work.
Patch: What are some of your goals and visions?
Bot: Definitely continuing to do more with less. I think that Bob [Derus] did a great job at hiring the right people and I fully believe in our staff. I'd really like to keep things rolling the way they are and continue to have St. Michael be the lowest taxed city in Wright County.
Bot started his new dual role as city administrator and city engineer on July 2.