Profile of a Public Servant

00:00:00:04 – 00:00:03:40
David Martin
This is the good government show.

00:00:03:45 – 00:00:12:11
Kelli Bentley
You go, you brush your teeth, you take a shower, you flush your toilet. You don’t think about how that water gets to your house.

00:00:12:16 – 00:00:21:25
Kelli Bentley
I fell into public service. I didn’t grow up saying, I want to serve, you know, the people where I live.

00:00:21:29 – 00:00:28:10
Kelli Bentley
That’s not part of my job description. It was just a need that I saw.

00:00:28:15 – 00:00:45:35
Kelli Bentley
The more people understand the why behind something, even if they don’t like it, you’re not. You’re being transparent. This is why we have to do this. And I think if you communicate and be transparent, it works.

00:00:45:40 – 00:00:56:46
Kelli Bentley
A lot of times people just want to come in my office and complain. They don’t really want you to fix anything. They just want to get it off their chest. And I’m okay with that.

00:00:56:51 – 00:01:01:34
Kelli Bentley
We don’t believe in just meeting the standard. We go above and beyond.

00:01:01:39 – 00:01:17:19
David Martin
No one wakes up one day and says, you know, I want to work in the sewers, but yet we all want to have clean water, indoor flush toilets, and we don’t want to think about it. But think about it every time you turn on your shower or you flush. Someone in your city made sure that happened. Welcome to the Good Government show.

00:01:17:21 – 00:01:36:58
David Martin
I’m Dave Martin first. Help us share the message of good government by liking us and sharing us where we are on social media. Make sure to review us and share our show everywhere. We all need to talk about good government. Kelly Bentley is the human resources manager for the Anniston, Alabama Waterworks and Sewer Board. It’s up to her to make sure that the water and sewer department is fully staffed.

00:01:36:58 – 00:01:55:55
David Martin
And as she will tell you, it’s not an easy job. I mean, who wants to work in the sewer? Well, someone has to, and it can get a little pungent and she will tell you that. But there are some really great benefits to. Kelly was recently honored by the National Academy for Public Administration as one of the 250 government champions.

00:01:55:57 – 00:02:13:42
David Martin
These are people that staff city halls across the country. They keep the water clean, keep the roads paved. They work on fire trucks, and generally they do the work and the not glamorous, headline attracting work. Well, that makes all our lives better. I wanted to hear from that person who starts someone in a career in public service and what that means.

00:02:13:42 – 00:02:30:50
David Martin
How do you convince someone to work in public service, and what’s kept her in government for the 23 years she’s been doing it? So coming up, a profile and public service and how Kelly Bentley, Anniston, Alabama’s HR manager, brings other people into government. That’s next.

00:02:30:55 – 00:03:00:56
David Martin
Hello nation is our partner here at the Good Government Show. This is a new direction from CGI digital. Hello nation is KGS new online digital magazine that showcases the best of cities across the nation. We’d all prefer of. Good news traveled faster at Hello Nation. Positive stories don’t just get told they get amplified. Hello nation albums. Businesses, leaders and communities share positive stories that matter, building trust, credibility and meaningful connection through professionally produced podcast, digital features and targeted distribution.

00:03:00:56 – 00:03:24:21
David Martin
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00:03:24:21 – 00:03:31:11
David Martin
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00:03:31:16 – 00:03:49:46
David Martin
Once you wrap up this episode of The Good Government Show, give a listen to our friends over at Good News for lefties. This daily podcast highlights news stories that show there’s more good news out there. Other people in government are really trying to do the right thing. That’s good news for lefties. Listen where you’re listening now.

00:03:49:51 – 00:04:01:16
David Martin
Welcome to The Good Government Show. I’m happy to have with me Kelly Bentley. She is the human resources manager for the Anniston Waterworks and Sewer Board of Anniston, Alabama. Welcome to the show.

00:04:01:19 – 00:04:02:21
Kelli Bentley
Thank you for having me.

00:04:02:23 – 00:04:19:22
David Martin
Well, you’re welcome. And the reason why you’re here is because you are a National Academy of Public Administration government champion. You’re one of the 250 people across America that the National Academy of Public Administration cited as being public service workers that they wanted to feature. So congratulations.

00:04:19:22 – 00:04:20:25
Kelli Bentley
Thank you so much.

00:04:20:27 – 00:04:35:41
David Martin
I am going to read something to you that James Christian Blackwood, the president and CEO of the National Academy, said. He said these 250 champions are truly special and make a difference in our everyday lives. So how do you do that?

00:04:35:43 – 00:04:53:42
Kelli Bentley
Well, you know, I’ve been in this business a long time and I just try to treat the people that work for us the way I wish somebody had treated me at the beginning of my career. So to be appreciated, to be heard, all of those things in a servant type leadership.

00:04:53:42 – 00:05:04:58
David Martin
So you are the HR director for the Waterworks and Sewer Board. So it’s your job to bring people in and to, to to manage them. How long you’ve been doing this?

00:05:05:00 – 00:05:11:12
Kelli Bentley
Let’s see. I’ve been at this entity for four years, but I’ve been doing this for a little over 20 years.

00:05:11:14 – 00:05:21:50
David Martin
And if folks can’t see everything I see in your room, you’ve got a big Human Resources sign painted on your wall and it says HR Specialist Drive. So you’re in the right place.

00:05:22:02 – 00:05:23:38
Kelli Bentley
In the right place? Yes.

00:05:23:50 – 00:05:42:08
David Martin
So, you know, in talking about, you know, government, the 250 government champions for the National academy, you know, one of the things that we try to do is we try to talk a little bit about public service. And when we sat down, when we met in Philadelphia at the ceremony, I said, you know, how’s it going? And you said, oh my God, it’s hard to get people to come working.

00:05:42:10 – 00:05:55:26
David Martin
So what’s the challenge right now in hiring people to come into public service, and specifically in your role at Waterworks and Sewer Board? I’m sure no one is waking up or thinking in high school, I want to work in the sewers.

00:05:55:29 – 00:06:32:12
Kelli Bentley
Well, the first thing is this particular utility, John, if you will. People just don’t think about it. You go, you brush your teeth, you take a shower, you flush your toilet. You don’t think about how that water gets to your house. Most people that work in this field either have a family member that has worked in this field or some type of connection personally, because if you go into high schools or colleges, nobody’s thinking about, hey, I want to be a utility worker for a water entity, power is a little different because you see power.

00:06:32:14 – 00:06:57:58
Kelli Bentley
You know, they want to be a line worker, that kind of thing. So first of all, is getting that out there to the, you know, to the public, getting it to the potential employees is letting them know about this career. The second thing is competing against the, you know, the private sector. We can’t compete salary wise. You know, with a private there are privatized water utilities.

00:06:58:03 – 00:07:23:02
Kelli Bentley
We can’t compete with them because we are not for profit. So we depend on our revenue to exceed everything back into our system, to update machinery plants, plus pay the salaries of our boys, we try to offer a really healthy benefit package, but when you’re in your 20s, you don’t care about retirement or health insurance. That’s just not something you’re looking at.

00:07:23:04 – 00:07:28:54
Kelli Bentley
No, you want to know when you got to work, how much are you going to make, and is there any overtime?

00:07:28:59 – 00:07:38:49
David Martin
Okay, so comparing government service to private service or, you know, working in the private sector, you know, what’s the reaction from someone says, well, we have an opening in our sewer department.

00:07:38:51 – 00:07:42:36
Kelli Bentley
They have actually hiring right now from a sewer department. And so.

00:07:42:38 – 00:07:48:12
David Martin
So if you’re listening, you do the job in Alabama, like go up to Anniston. There’s a good chance you get hired.

00:07:48:15 – 00:08:05:23
Kelli Bentley
Exactly. All right. And, you know, honestly, one of the first things I’ve done since I came here is I take pictures of what we actually do, because you can tell somebody you’re going to work in the sewer, and the first thing they think of is only covered in poop all day, you know?

00:08:05:26 – 00:08:06:04
David Martin
Right.

00:08:06:06 – 00:08:07:45
Kelli Bentley
That can happen.

00:08:07:49 – 00:08:09:28
David Martin
While that can happen.

00:08:09:33 – 00:08:29:00
Kelli Bentley
Yes. But that’s it’s not like you’re waiting around waist deep and, you know, sewer all day, right? So I do show pictures and, you know, do the show the type of machinery we use and the things like that. But if you’ve got a sense this smell is going to make you. That’s not for you.

00:08:29:03 – 00:08:32:05
David Martin
So what’s the what’s how do you sell public service?

00:08:32:07 – 00:08:43:23
Kelli Bentley
Really? It’s it’s is you’re looking for that person is wanting a career if they might looking to make a quick buck. This is not for them. And you know I’m just upfront about that, you know.

00:08:43:26 – 00:09:07:48
David Martin
But how do you how do you how do you convince someone, you know, someone comes into your office and says, hey, I see you have an opening in, you know, in at the waterworks. And then you say, well, you know, it’s it’s going to be water, it’s going to be sewer, it’s going to be a combination. They go, oh, what’s what’s the pitch that you use for someone to entice them to understand that public service is, you know, noble and helpful.

00:09:07:51 – 00:09:26:18
Kelli Bentley
Well, you know, our mission is to provide the quality drinking water. And I pitched a lot about our culture. It’s a great place to work. The flexibility, the things that our board does for our employees. You know, you pitch all the good stuff. First.

00:09:26:21 – 00:09:39:34
David Martin
Right. So what is you know, if you’re if you’re a young guy or man or woman and you know, you’re looking for a career, what is it about public service that is the most attractive to you think.

00:09:39:39 – 00:09:41:32
Kelli Bentley
Differ from person to person.

00:09:41:32 – 00:09:42:51
David Martin
But generally speaking, you know.

00:09:42:53 – 00:10:05:38
Kelli Bentley
Yeah. Generally speaking, our work hours, you know, you don’t have any weekend work unless there’s an emergency. They rotate on call so they know they don’t have to. You know, your weekends, your Friday and Saturday nights, you’re going to be free except when you’re on call. You know, just putting those things out there. And some people are receptive to that and some aren’t.

00:10:05:40 – 00:10:11:06
David Martin
What kept you in public service all this time? How long have you been doing this? You said four years here and then before that.

00:10:11:08 – 00:10:37:31
Kelli Bentley
Yeah. So I’ve been doing this about 23 years. 22, 23 years. All right. And I fell into public service. I didn’t grow up saying, oh, I want to serve, you know, the people where I live. I just really enjoy it. I enjoy working and making other employees lives. If I can make it easier in some way, you know, we all love to stay home and get paid and not have to go to work.

00:10:37:31 – 00:10:58:44
Kelli Bentley
So we have to go to work. So I want to make it as good of experience as it can be. You know, we have manual labor and it’s hot. They’re kind of like the post office. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining, if it’s cold, if it’s hot, they have to go out there. So, you know, I try to do things that make people appreciate.

00:10:58:44 – 00:11:13:29
Kelli Bentley
But one of the things is last summer I brought in a slushy truck. Those little counselor. That’s nothing. You know, I can’t give you a lot of money, but I can appreciate you at the end of a hot day.

00:11:13:36 – 00:11:14:07
David Martin
Sure.

00:11:14:09 – 00:11:18:33
Kelli Bentley
You would be surprised that the people who, you know.

00:11:18:38 – 00:11:25:14
David Martin
Who wouldn’t want to slushy in the middle of summer in Alabama. Yeah. What? What where did you put it? Was it out of the field or at the office?

00:11:25:16 – 00:11:39:56
Kelli Bentley
Yeah, well, we had an operation center, and I just had it in the parking lot. So when they pulled in, it was playing the music and it had, you know, the ice cone slashing. So they were all, you know, I’m like, hey, y’all, stop and grab you a slushy, you know?

00:11:39:58 – 00:11:42:56
David Martin
All right. Everybody had one. Did you run over and have one yourself?

00:11:43:03 – 00:11:44:10
Kelli Bentley
Oh, yeah.

00:11:44:15 – 00:11:45:51
David Martin
What. Okay. What flavor.

00:11:45:53 – 00:11:46:39
Kelli Bentley
Great, great.

00:11:46:41 – 00:12:06:35
David Martin
Oh, great. Okay. I’m a cherry guy. So according to a press release that the city put out about you, it said that you’ve done some work. It says you’ve had created training programs and you’ve had partnerships with educational organizations. How have you done that? And what effect has that had? And is there a lesson here for other cities?

00:12:06:38 – 00:12:35:24
Kelli Bentley
Yes, there really is. And I’m not gay keeping anything. You know, we are a small utility, even though we service like 19,000 different consumers, but we are small in number and it’s cross nation. Doesn’t matter where you’re at, what state you’re in. There are regulations for the people that work in this industry, and you have to keep up continuing education hours and pay for those certifications.

00:12:35:26 – 00:12:57:27
Kelli Bentley
So to do that, we all need to work together to kind of offset the cost for each other. Otherwise we’re just going to need to other workers back and forth. But what I did was work with the local community college system through a grant program. I did all the way work applied, got these grants, and hosted these free open classes.

00:12:57:27 – 00:13:08:48
Kelli Bentley
And I don’t care where you worked at. Come and participate, get your CE hours, get your certification, you know, and let’s let’s not have to pay out of pocket for that.

00:13:08:51 – 00:13:13:12
David Martin
Sure. And have you continued this or was it a one time thing or is it ongoing?

00:13:13:14 – 00:13:19:40
Kelli Bentley
No, I’m continuing it. I ended up a little over $30,000 in grant money last year.

00:13:19:43 – 00:13:20:40
David Martin
Okay, good.

00:13:20:43 – 00:13:36:30
Kelli Bentley
I’m looking to do more this year, and I just that’s not part of my job description. It was just a need that I saw. And other general managers and other places were like, yeah, if you’ll do all the legwork, will participate.

00:13:36:35 – 00:14:00:02
David Martin
Well, you have exactly just then summarized what it is to be a public service champion. You did something that was not really your job, and you went out and did it, and you accomplished it, and you’ve made people’s lives better. No doubt this is why you were selected as a government champion. Is this what you see in people who work in government across the board?

00:14:00:04 – 00:14:01:11
Kelli Bentley
No.

00:14:01:16 – 00:14:05:16
David Martin
No, you’re the only one doing this. No one else. No one else does what you do.

00:14:05:21 – 00:14:26:00
Kelli Bentley
They do depending on where you are in your career, sometimes in public service you can get burnt out really fast. But it’s like any career. Its heels and valleys. Sure. You know, just everybody doesn’t matter what job you’re in, you’re either on top of the mountain or you’re down in the valley, you know.

00:14:26:03 – 00:14:26:20
David Martin
Right?

00:14:26:20 – 00:14:26:51
David Martin
Right, right.

00:14:26:53 – 00:14:52:20
Kelli Bentley
And yes, there are lots of people out there. And just like that, that’s why I’m not gatekeeping anything if I can help. Matter of fact, I have a one person HR department in California who wrote to me and asked me, could I send her one of our training programs? And I’m like, yes, don’t reinvent the wheel. Just take mine and smelled it to you.

00:14:52:23 – 00:14:54:13
Kelli Bentley
What works for you, right?

00:14:54:15 – 00:15:11:43
David Martin
So Anniston is sort of in central Alabama. You’re not near a big city. You’re sort of kind of a rural city, I guess is the best way to describe it. So you’re sort of out there on your own. How hard is it to find people to come work for you and work for the city?

00:15:11:46 – 00:15:17:04
Kelli Bentley
I do a lot of word of mouth hiring. I do a lot of Facebook.

00:15:17:09 – 00:15:17:34
David Martin
Okay.

00:15:17:38 – 00:15:34:56
Kelli Bentley
Social media, you know, the days of newspapers, I’ve tried the indeed routes, you know, but really social media has been, you know, they have those what’s happening in whatever city and I can post in there.

00:15:34:59 – 00:15:53:50
David Martin
All right. So you’re, you’re, you’re trying to hit on knock on every door to see which door works. If you had somebody in your office right now and they were thinking about coming to work for the city of Anniston, what’s the thing you would tell them? What would you say about public service and about a career in public service?

00:15:53:53 – 00:15:55:45
Kelli Bentley
It’s really worthwhile why.

00:15:55:48 – 00:16:21:39
Kelli Bentley
You got to stick it out, you know, but there’s something to be said for the feeling that you get when you know you’re serving those constituents or those consumers, even though they may not know it or appreciate it. You know, we never hear from the people when you’re doing a good job. You only hear from people when we do a bad job or when the water line breaks and people can’t take a shower, you know, that’s when you hear from them.

00:16:21:39 – 00:16:52:52
Kelli Bentley
But the things that we do, and it’s amazing what you can accomplish when you work together and it is worthwhile, you know, at the end of the day. Not only, you know, in, in the failing, but in the retirement that you, you know, and the ability to retire and know that you have a solid retirement plan, you know, it’s not going to go under water is something that’s everybody’s always going to need.

00:16:53:06 – 00:17:02:32
Kelli Bentley
AI is not going to take away water. Computers aren’t going to take away water. It’s not something that is going to diminish over time.

00:17:02:34 – 00:17:12:14
David Martin
Okay. So I’m going to come back and I’m going to ask you the questions I ask every mayor I talk to. And we’re going to do that next.

00:17:12:19 – 00:17:36:08
David Martin
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00:17:47:53 – 00:18:17:42
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00:18:17:46 – 00:18:42:47
David Martin
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00:18:42:50 – 00:18:50:32
David Martin
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00:18:50:37 – 00:19:11:17
David Martin
So I have a questionnaire that I ask and usually ask this if of mayors and city leaders, government leaders. You are a public servant here in the Anniston Waterworks and Sewer Board and you are the human resources manager. You’re HR, you’re there. So my first question is the hardest what is good? Government defined it. What’s your definition of good government?

00:19:11:19 – 00:19:14:12
Kelli Bentley
Good communication and transparency.

00:19:14:14 – 00:19:15:07
David Martin
That’s simple.

00:19:15:09 – 00:19:16:09
Kelli Bentley
That’s that simple.

00:19:16:12 – 00:19:17:33
David Martin
Nothing tricky to it at all.

00:19:17:36 – 00:19:35:06
Kelli Bentley
No I don’t think it is. People. The more people understand the why behind something, even if they don’t like it, you’re not. You’re being transparent. This is why we have to do this. And I think if you communicate and be transparent, it works.

00:19:35:08 – 00:19:45:15
David Martin
If people don’t like the way government is working, if they don’t like what they’re seeing in the city of Anniston, or if they, you know, don’t think their water is clean, what should they do?

00:19:45:20 – 00:19:46:32
Kelli Bentley
They involved.

00:19:46:43 – 00:20:02:28
Kelli Bentley
You can call and complain, but it’s more of what can I do to help? What can I do even if it’s you’re not employed by someone keeping your, you know, your meters cleaned out around your meter at your.

00:20:02:28 – 00:20:04:12
Kelli Bentley
House. Just small.

00:20:04:18 – 00:20:05:18
David Martin
Help out the meter reader.

00:20:05:21 – 00:20:08:42
Kelli Bentley
Yeah. Help out the people that have to come out, you know.

00:20:08:45 – 00:20:18:37
David Martin
So you said 23 years you’ve been doing this. You said you sort of fell into this. But what drew you to public service initially and what kept you staying here for 23 years?

00:20:18:46 – 00:20:25:22
Kelli Bentley
The people I just I enjoy the people. Don’t get me wrong, I got some a hot mess of some.

00:20:25:22 – 00:20:27:29
Kelli Bentley
People, but.

00:20:27:34 – 00:20:30:36
Kelli Bentley
The majority of them are very appreciative.

00:20:30:38 – 00:20:33:02
Kelli Bentley
Bless their hearts. Yeah. Bless their hearts.

00:20:33:07 – 00:20:34:43
Kelli Bentley
You know. God bless.

00:20:34:45 – 00:20:35:45
David Martin
Very sad expression.

00:20:35:45 – 00:20:36:17
David Martin
Yeah. Sorry.

00:20:36:19 – 00:20:38:43
David Martin
Go ahead. Yeah, yeah.

00:20:38:45 – 00:20:42:43
Kelli Bentley
In the South, if you say bless their hard, you know.

00:20:42:47 – 00:20:53:44
David Martin
You really say excuse me. Anyway, we’ll go through. We’ll come back to that in just a moment. But. So who inspires you, who inspired you to get involved and who and who inspires you to stay?

00:20:53:47 – 00:21:15:09
Kelli Bentley
I’ve had some really good supervisors over the years. Some bosses, you know, I had a mentor. I just really like the way she and I are completely different in the way we approach HR. But she was my mentor and it made me push and want to be more in the HR field because I started in the payroll side and I like that.

00:21:15:09 – 00:21:21:02
Kelli Bentley
I like the payroll benefits side. But, you know, I followed her footsteps into the HR realm.

00:21:21:04 – 00:21:21:26
David Martin
Gotcha.

00:21:21:28 – 00:21:28:11
Kelli Bentley
And then I have a boss now who gives me just enough rope to hang myself. Or or make something fabulous.

00:21:28:18 – 00:21:35:35
David Martin
All right. So to to hang yourself or make something fabulous. Do you have a political hero? Is there someone in government or in politics that inspires you?

00:21:35:37 – 00:21:36:25
Kelli Bentley
No, no.

00:21:36:27 – 00:21:41:05
Kelli Bentley
Actually, I’m probably the most apathetic person you’ll see about politics.

00:21:41:08 – 00:21:41:34
David Martin
No.

00:21:41:37 – 00:21:48:10
Kelli Bentley
And that is shocking. I know, I know it is, but I’m all about the worker bee.

00:21:48:19 – 00:21:49:27
Kelli Bentley
For, you know.

00:21:49:29 – 00:22:01:34
David Martin
Well, it must be working. That’s why you were cited. Did you see yourself? You know, when you were, when you were starting out, did you think, oh, I wonder if it worked for the city? Or were you like, oh, I want to work for a big corporation and become president here?

00:22:01:37 – 00:22:14:35
Kelli Bentley
The same after working for the city. But I had the opportunity to work where I live. I don’t live here in Anderson. I live short distance away and started working in the police department.

00:22:14:39 – 00:22:15:06
David Martin
All right.

00:22:15:08 – 00:22:20:32
Kelli Bentley
And kind of went from there. And then I’ve just stayed in public service since then.

00:22:20:34 – 00:22:23:41
David Martin
So when you’re home, do you turn the water on and go, oh, the water is better, Anderson.

00:22:23:44 – 00:22:24:05
Kelli Bentley
No.

00:22:24:05 – 00:22:28:19
Kelli Bentley
Because actually where I live. They buy water from us here in Anniston.

00:22:28:22 – 00:22:28:35
David Martin
Oh.

00:22:28:39 – 00:22:32:05
Kelli Bentley
So I’m like, oh, that’s the best water you can get.

00:22:32:10 – 00:22:48:59
David Martin
So you’re constantly monitoring the water. What would you like someone you know, you said you’ve had a lot of different roles. You payroll, you talked about the police department. Now you’re in HR for the water management and and sewer board. What would you like people to know about government that they don’t know?

00:22:49:01 – 00:23:12:58
Kelli Bentley
A lot of people feel like governments ripping them all, taking advantage of the little person, and they’re really not. There is a lot of rules and regulations that employees in government have to follow. You know, there is missing money in all kinds of places. And I acknowledge that. And I actually have this conversation with my husband.

00:23:12:58 – 00:23:14:43
Kelli Bentley
A lot, you know.

00:23:14:48 – 00:23:42:01
Kelli Bentley
Tax monies or pinpointed, they have to be used in certain ways. And grant monies are the same way. You know, people will say, well, they’re building this park over here. We need our road tape. Well, that money is earmarked. Grant has to be used for recreational purposes. So a city may be doing that. And then that goes back to the transparency and the communication.

00:23:42:03 – 00:23:55:36
Kelli Bentley
You know, if we just tell people like these grants that I’m getting for training, I can’t give everybody a lump sum one time out of payment. It has to be used for training. And I tell my guys.

00:23:55:36 – 00:23:56:02
Kelli Bentley
That.

00:23:56:05 – 00:23:57:19
David Martin
Okay, what’s the best part of.

00:23:57:19 – 00:23:57:48
David Martin
Your job?

00:23:57:50 – 00:24:08:47
Kelli Bentley
Best part of my job. And I know this sounds funny, but it is the people you know, they are. As much as I get on my nerves.

00:24:08:52 – 00:24:10:11
Kelli Bentley
They are.

00:24:10:16 – 00:24:31:43
Kelli Bentley
Human beings with problems and things happening at home and outside. And if there’s anything I can do to help provide resources or just, you know, a lot of times people just want to come in my office and complain. They don’t really want you to fix anything. They just want to get it off their chest. And I’m okay with that.

00:24:31:43 – 00:24:34:02
Kelli Bentley
I’m kind of fixed in and I’m okay.

00:24:34:02 – 00:24:34:26
Kelli Bentley
With that.

00:24:34:38 – 00:24:36:21
David Martin
Do the how does that happen often?

00:24:36:29 – 00:24:38:45
Kelli Bentley
Oh.

00:24:38:50 – 00:24:49:33
David Martin
So I have never been to Anniston. If I’m coming and you’re meeting me out for lunch, where are we going? What do we having? What’s the one thing you have to try in Anniston? And it can be barbecue because this is Alabama.

00:24:49:36 – 00:24:49:42
Kelli Bentley
Well.

00:24:49:42 – 00:24:50:13
Kelli Bentley
I was going to.

00:24:50:13 – 00:24:50:47
Kelli Bentley
Say.

00:24:50:52 – 00:24:53:49
David Martin
Well, please go ahead. I’m okay.

00:24:54:03 – 00:24:57:32
Kelli Bentley
Yeah. We got some really good barbecue here in Anniston, Alabama.

00:24:57:44 – 00:24:59:15
David Martin
All right. What’s your dish? What do you order?

00:24:59:15 – 00:25:00:20
David Martin
What’s your order? Oh.

00:25:00:34 – 00:25:02:39
Kelli Bentley
The pulled pork, baked potato.

00:25:02:41 – 00:25:03:53
David Martin
The pulled pork. Baked potato.

00:25:03:56 – 00:25:04:51
David Martin
All right.

00:25:04:56 – 00:25:09:22
David Martin
Sounds good. I’m all about barbecue. No problem there. What do you do for fun?

00:25:09:24 – 00:25:10:53
Kelli Bentley
Well, I coached volleyball.

00:25:10:55 – 00:25:11:31
David Martin
Oh, wow.

00:25:11:34 – 00:25:24:16
Kelli Bentley
Yeah, I read a lot. I read a lot. But coach volleyball. And it’s so funny because you can apply things from HR to your volleyball team.

00:25:24:18 – 00:25:29:42
David Martin
I bet, I bet. Do you sometimes have to use the same voice and go. All right, kids, now here’s what we’re going.

00:25:29:42 – 00:25:30:40
David Martin
To do. Yeah.

00:25:30:42 – 00:25:40:10
Kelli Bentley
I have been known to you know, I’m usually pretty calm and laid back, but I think this past season, during one game.

00:25:40:10 – 00:25:46:08
David Martin
So what do you think is the most important part of the Anniston Waterworks and Sewer Board’s work?

00:25:46:10 – 00:26:11:20
Kelli Bentley
You know, is just maintaining those standards to make sure that our water is above par? We don’t we don’t believe in just meeting the standard. We go above and beyond. And the same thing on our sewer. You know, we have to treat water that goes back into the creeks and rivers around here. And so what water we put back in is better quality that than what’s in there.

00:26:11:20 – 00:26:20:05
David Martin
Now this is the good government show and we always bring it back to good government. Tell me about a good government project that you’ve had a hand in at the water and sewer works that you’re excited about?

00:26:20:08 – 00:26:21:37
Kelli Bentley
Well.

00:26:21:41 – 00:26:46:47
Kelli Bentley
We have a leadership program here within Anniston Waterworks trying to be proactive instead of reactive because as we have employees retire out, we were trying to prepare that next generation that’s coming through the system. And so normally you see people promoted because they’ve got great technical skills, but they don’t have a clue what they do and see for people.

00:26:46:52 – 00:26:57:34
Kelli Bentley
So we have classes, we have things go on that teach them. And sometimes they’ll go through these classes. And you know what? That’s not for me. I just want to be the worker bee.

00:26:57:34 – 00:26:57:58
Kelli Bentley
I don’t.

00:26:57:58 – 00:26:59:15
Kelli Bentley
Want to move up.

00:26:59:27 – 00:26:59:46
David Martin
All right.

00:26:59:54 – 00:27:06:58
Kelli Bentley
And then you have people say, you know, they’ll say, I want to do this. And I said, well, you better start treating people a little bit.

00:27:07:03 – 00:27:08:51
Kelli Bentley
You know. All right.

00:27:08:55 – 00:27:14:24
Kelli Bentley
One day those people are going to be the ones, you know, under you know, that you will have to serve.

00:27:14:26 – 00:27:37:54
David Martin
So you’re finding the next generation of leaders you’re already starting. Kelly Bentley, you are the Anniston Waterworks and Sewer Board human resources manager. And you are also a National Academy of Public Administration, one of the 250 government champions. Congratulations. Great to talk to you. And thanks for giving us some insight and what it’s like to, you know, be a public servant and one of those people that you don’t necessarily see every day.

00:27:37:54 – 00:27:38:20
David Martin
Thank you.

00:27:38:22 – 00:27:39:54
Kelli Bentley
Thank you. It was great talking.

00:27:39:54 – 00:27:40:15
Kelli Bentley
To you.

00:27:40:17 – 00:27:44:46
David Martin
Great talking to you. Thank you.

00:27:44:51 – 00:28:06:18
David Martin
The Good Government Institute has a new partner, the Charles F Kettering Foundation. I really like their podcast to context, and I bet you will too. They have a new series called Democracy Under Construction. The show is hosted by historian Alex Lovett, and he looks back at the first 250 years of U.S. history. Alex digs into the moments that have pushed us towards an inclusive democracy.

00:28:06:21 – 00:28:14:49
David Martin
You can find it where you’re listening right now, or visit Kettering and give them a follow.

00:28:14:54 – 00:28:32:50
David Martin
Want to hear more about good government? Check out another show I host Leading Iowa Good Government in Iowa cities. I host the show with Brad Kavanagh, mayor of Dubuque, Iowa, and the immediate past president of the Iowa League of Cities. Together, we talked to leaders in Iowa cities. We talk about what works and what good government looks like in Iowa.

00:28:32:53 – 00:28:42:11
David Martin
Join us right here. We’re listening. Now that’s leading Iowa, good government and Iowa cities.

00:28:42:16 – 00:29:02:17
David Martin
What if Lincoln hadn’t been shot? What if World War One hadn’t happened? Jim Ludlow, Good Government show executive producer, explores both those ideas in two books in Lincoln Beyond the Bullet, he imagines that Lincoln lives, and while cousins, he imagines what would have happened if three kings, all cousins, hadn’t blundered their way into war. What if. Think about it.

00:29:02:20 – 00:29:11:14
David Martin
Go to Good Gub Institute and order a copy.

00:29:11:19 – 00:29:32:56
David Martin
Sometimes people just want to come into my office and complain, and I’m fine with that. Well, that’s the hard part of working in public service. So says Kelly Bentley, the human resource manager for the Anniston, Alabama, Waterworks and Sewer Board. But she had some really great insights into hiring and promoting people in city offices. I think taking pictures of the city’s sewer system is a great idea and let you know it’s not just standing around on the sewer.

00:29:32:56 – 00:29:46:41
David Martin
And it does give potential hires a small preview of what they might be in for. Now, folks, go make sure your cities meet. A reader can get to the dials in your house. Help them out. That’s our show. Thanks for listening. Please like us and share us with your friends and review us right here where you’re listening. It matters.

00:29:46:43 – 00:30:04:06
David Martin
And check out our website. Good government show for extras. Help us keep telling stories of good government and action everywhere. Join us again for another episode right here. I’m Dave Martin and this is the Good Government show.

00:30:04:11 – 00:30:43:04
David Martin
The Good Government Show is produced by the Good Government Institute, a nonprofit organization promoting civic engagement and civic education. All donations to the show help promote trust in government. You can donate at Good Govt Institute. That’s good govt institute. Executive producers are Jim Ludlow, Dave Martin that’s me and David Snyder. Jason Stern is our editor and producer. Join us again to hear good stories about our government right here on The Good Government Show.

00:30:43:09 – 00:30:46:11
Narratori
This podcast is part of the democracy Group.

**This transcription was created using digital tools and has not been edited by a live person. We apologize for any discrepancies or errors.