Planning and Zoning. Code Enforcement. Animal control. Airport.

They’re all issues on the plate for oversight for Nathan Mai-Lombardo, the city of Mexico’s new deputy city manager and director of community development, the latter role of which will have him manage these aforementioned areas of operation in the city. He began April 14 at the city, replacing former Deputy City Manager Roger Haynes, who retired at the end of March, and Rita Jackson, former director of community development, who also retired at the end of March.

“I learn more every day and I get more excited about it every day,” he said about Mexico. “What you really understand is the bones, the foundation and the fundamentals here are so strong and enviable. … The changes and growth that you’re going to be able to see because of the inherent qualities of the city are incredibly exciting. They’re things that a government nerd like me just gets really (excited) about.”

City Manager Bruce Slagle said in an email that Mai-Lombardo not only had experience in city management but also as a city planner, planning and zoning administrator, and planning and economic development director. 

“These prior duties and responsibilities aligned well with the essential functions of the position here in Mexico,” Slagle said.

Slagle said in addition to his duties as community development director, Mai-Lombardo will assist in the day-to-day management of the city including human resources, airport administrator,  risk management and mitigation activities, and will manage organizational studies, procedure studies and administrative problem solving tasks.

A Ferguson native, Mai-Lombardo holds degrees from St. Louis University (bachelor’s in psychology), Georgia Tech (master’s in city planning) and Savannah State (master’s in public administration). And in between undergrad and grad school, he attended St. Louis Community College and got an associate’s degree in architecture.

“What I do for fun,” he said.

His first job out of grad school was in Garden City, Georgia, near Savannah, where he was the planning director. He was there for three years, and his career took him to other places and jobs. His last job was in Berkeley, where worked as the city manager before coming to Mexico.

“I’ve had three different jobs doing urban planning, and this is now my second job in doing some form of city management/public administration,” he said.

He said city administrative work at his level affects people in their daily lives.

“And I think that’s very awesome and very powerful,” he said. “No one’s doing this to get rich or get that statue. You’re really doing it because you want to help people and leave it a better place.”

Mai-Lombardo said the deputy city manager performs a complementary role to the city manager. He said there’s “tremendous opportunity” in planning and zoning, code enforcement, animal control and the airport.

“I’m really excited to get my fingerprints on a lot of that stuff,” he said. 

He said planning and zoning could be modernized and zoning can be used as a tool and advantage. WIth code enforcement, in another example, he said the city must do better in writing and implementing codes and enforcing them. He said he wants to be a resource and advocate for everyone - and every good idea - at city hall.

“I want to be an asset to everybody,” he said.