CITIZEN SPOTLIGHT: Connie Pohler

Okay, most months it takes a certain amount of coercion (translation: arm-twisting and begging) to convince my next candidate (translation: victim) to do an interview. I have to admit that this month’s guest star has been a little harder than most to nudge into the spotlight. That’s because my fabulous executive assistant, Connie Pohler, prefers to work in the background and let me get all the glory. Well, in truth, I’m the first to admit that without her at my side everything here at City Hall would come to a screeching halt.

Connie, thank you for joining me for a cup of Bridey’s excellent coffee and one (or three) of her incredible pastries.

Thanks for having me, Mayor McKay, although bribing me with this double chocolate muffin was pretty sneaky of you. I hope you know that I’ve asked Bridey to pull all of the calories from mine and put them all into the one you’re eating.

(Laughing) Fair enough, Connie! But even if that doesn’t work, we’ll take the long way when we walk back to the office. Surely that will help compensate for all the extra carbs we’re consuming.

(With a reluctant smile) I doubt it, but I never could turn down anything Bridey bakes.

Who can? But to get back to the interview, Connie, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself? For example, where did you grow up and how did you come to be living here in Snowberry Creek?

My father was in the Air Force, and we moved around a lot. At the end of his career he was stationed at the air base up by Tacoma. I fell in love with the area and decided it was time to put down some roots. I started working part-time at City Hall while I went to the community college, and eventually moved up to fulltime. I’ve been working in the mayor’s office now for the past ten years.

Okay, these next two questions might prove to be interesting. What is your favorite part of your job and then what is your least favorite part of your duties?

My least favorite? That’s easy: that would be juggling all of the numbers to do the end of the fiscal year reports. The best part of my job is getting to help all the people who come into our office. I’ve made some wonderful friends over the years that way, including you, Mayor McKay.

Whew! I was afraid that if my name came in answer to one of those questions, it might have been the least favorite one! Now to make sure I stay in your good graces, I’ll just thank you again for talking with me today. And for the record, I wasn’t exaggerating when I said that Connie is the reason that everything at City Hall functions so well. She’s amazing and one of the most genuinely nice people in our fair town.