MUSCATINE, Iowa – There has been a change in the leadership of the Department of Community Development for the City of Muscatine with the announcement of the retirement of Dave Gobin from that post.
City Administrator Gregg Mandsager said that Gobin turned in his notice of retirement last week.
Current director of housing Jodi Royal-Goodwin was named the interim director of community development. Along with assuming that role, Royal-Goodwin will also continue to oversee the housing department.
Royal-Goodwin has served as the City of Muscatine Director of Housing for the past three and a half years.
“I have always looked for ways the housing department can interact with other city departments,” Royal-Goodwin said. “Putting the community development and housing resources together for the rental housing aspect is just a natural.”
Royal-Goodwin said that she is looking forward to the challenge.
“I really like to look at things from the big picture,” Royal-Goodwin said. “It is not this piece or that piece. It is how they all fit together and community development really does that.”
Royal-Goodwin says she believes in assisting her staff, being supportive, and helping them into big picture changes without dramatically changing how they do their job.
“I told the staff in community development that it is really about them doing their job and me taking care of the other pieces,” Royal-Goodwin said.
Royal-Goodwin is looking forward to the opportunities available in developing the relationship between the City and its’ customers, utilizing the skills of the community development staff while working alongside the businesses and residents of Muscatine, and developing the vision for the future of the community.