Mike Petit de Mange has deep roots in the First State. The man in charge of keeping the machinery of government running smoothly in Kent County is a sixth-generation Delawarean, whose ancestors came from France in the early 1800s to work in the DuPont gunpowder mills.
Q Why did you first get into the planning field and what led to your current job?
A At first, I was inclined toward environmental sciences, but along the way I started to study the evolution of cities and urban development. That led me to gravitate toward planning. Eventually I worked first for the county, then the city for nine years, and after two years with an engineering firm, rejoined the city. I worked there for two more years, then became director of planning for Kent County in October 2002. One thing led to another, an offer was made to become county administrator, and I accepted it.
You can say I’ve come full circle in Kent County.
Q What is being county administrator all about?
A. My responsibilities vary, but basically it’s the day-to-day management of county government. We’ve got five departments, from Levy Court to parks and recreation to human resources. I’m also responsible for preparing the draft budget each year, and we’re working on the fiscal year 2011 budget now.
Q Why do you like your job?
A It involves a great diversity of tasks and people. I feel I’m very close to the people who work here that make this county shine. I get the greatest sense of satisfaction working with our seven Levy Court commissioners, particularly in this economy. They’ve made some excellent choices on some challenging decisions in the past 24 months. There’s a lot of satisfaction in knowing that this year the government will be OK, that we’ve been steering it through some difficult passages.
Q How has the county worked to keep its budget balanced in the current economy?
A Early on we started cost containment strategies, setting targets for reductions in spending. For example, we had a substantial number of employees eligible to retire, and we offered an early retirement that reduced the force by 10%, saving $1.8 million. It put us in a situation where we’re not facing a deficit.
Q What do you do to relax?
A I’ve played ice hockey, but had to give it up because I’m getting older and you play with a lot of younger people. I like fly fishing and I tie my own flies. I also like to strum on my acoustic guitar and last year I fell in love with vegetable gardening after my daughter brought home a cabbage seedling. I’ve grown many varieties of vegetables in my home garden. I like to go out in the garden and use that time to decompress.
ABOUT MIKE PETIT DE MANGE
AGE 50
HOMETOWN Claymont.
CURRENT HOME Dover
FAMILY Wife Beth; son Ben is a freshman at Dover High; daughter Aimee attends Fairview Elementary
PET Sweetie, a Boston terrier
EDUCATION Bachelor’s degree in geography and planning; graduate work at the College of Urban Affairs; designated a certified planner; has graduate coursework in urban affairs and public policy
Email Jeff Brown at jeff.brown@doverpost.com.
