Getting To Know You. . . JEFF LAYTON

Public Works Director City of Perryville

What sparked your interest to serve in local government?

I love the town where I live and wanted to be a part of what makes it great. I was born and raised in Perryville. Our small town has a population of around 8,500 people. Despite being a tight-knit group, the town is extremely welcoming to those who visit or come and want to stay. We are blessed to have numerous successful industries and businesses in town that not only provide great jobs but also support our community. The city of Perryville has developed a culture and an atmosphere that propels the next generation to flourish and prosper. These things made me want to serve and contribute to the successful community I live in.

What has been the toughest lesson you have learned during your career in local government?

It is impossible to please everyone. The wide variety of issues we handle daily are astounding. We must do the best we can to serve the community within the confines of the ordinances and policies set forth. Sometimes individuals want you to do things that you cannot do, and finding an alternate solution or delivering unpopular news can often be a challenge.

In your opinion, what are the most important issues facing local government in Missouri, and/or facing the public works profession?

Hiring, training and keeping good employees. Labor shortages are happening all over the country. This is not unique to Perryville. When we do fill an open position, it is still premature to celebrate. We must continue to work hard to retain our employees as well. Once the new employees get experience and training, they often seek higher paying private sector jobs. The best way we have found to combat this is to provide a great atmosphere for our workforce. We give our employees the opportunity to help mold the atmosphere and the job they do each day. Any employee is allowed to submit an “Innovative Action Plan” to their direct supervisor for approval. These plans are ideas the employee has that can improve the safety of their job, the quality of their job, the efficiency of their work, the impact on the environment, or reduce the cost to our taxpayers. Most of our best ideas come from our personnel that do the job day in and day out. Employees are also more willing to buy into these ideas and work hard to make these changes come into fruition when they come from themselves and their peers.

What advice would you offer to someone considering service in the public works profession?

This is the right profession for someone who enjoys working for the community they preside in. At the end of the day, you go home and know that the things you did really matter to those around you.

How would you describe your city to someone who had never visited?

Aside from the culture I mentioned above, we have wellmaintained infrastructure beneficial to those who want to start a business or a family. We are a hard-working, patriotic, and friendly community full of beautiful parks, churches and schools. We have the American Tractor Museum that houses one of the rarest tractor collections in the United States. We have the only exact replica of the Vietnam Wall in D.C. We have more jobs than people. We are the only place in the world to house the endangered Grotto Sculpin in the vast cave system below our City. Our industries have access to the highway, river, airport and railroad to import and export goods. The cover of our book may read as if we are a small town but come open the book and you will leave surprised.

What are your interests outside local government?

I like soccer, football, baseball, hockey, golf and most sports. I enjoy hiking or relaxing to a good movie with my wife and kids.

Where would you most like to travel, and why?

I would like to take a tour of Europe. I am intrigued by the history and love eating different cuisines.