Central Point official deploying to Kuwait

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CENTRAL POINT — The city's second in command is on his way to the Middle East, leaving city officials to shuffle duties to fill his shoes while he's gone.

Community Development Director Tom Humphrey, a naval reservist for the past 24 years, was recently activated for a nine-month deployment to Kuwait.

Humphrey will leave his post at the city by month's end, spend two months in San Diego for training, then deploy to the Middle East for at least seven months.

Humphrey is a lieutenant commander of the Maritime Expeditionary Boat Division 56, based in Portland.

Humphrey was activated for deployment with a Seal Beach, Calif., patrol boat division tasked with escorting ships and protecting oil platforms in the Persian Gulf.

The 55-year-old, who spent eight years on active duty before becoming a naval reservist in 1972, has not been deployed long-term since 1973, though shorter annual deployments have included Korea, Southern California and Hawaii.

"This kind of bookends my career," Humphrey said Thursday.

"I started in the Navy in 1972, was deployed in 1973 and spent my first two Christmases away from home "¦ Now the last year or two of my service I'll be away from home for Christmas, too."

During his latest stint Humphrey will serve as executive officer for his unit, dealing with management and personnel issues.

With much of his deployment taking place during fall and winter, Humphrey said the city should be "in pretty good shape" during his absence.

In addition to working as community services director, Humphrey is assistant city administrator. He said City Administrator Phil Messina is "working out the details" for managing the city while he's away.

"I have some very competent employees (in the planning department) and because of the nature of the economy at the moment we're not necessarily running around like chickens with our heads cut off," Humphrey said.

"We still have things happening," he added, "but we're using a lot of our time to do maintenance-type things and work on the comprehensive plan and municipal codes."

In his absence, Humphrey said, city Planning Manager Don Burt will take on many of his regular tasks. City Recorder Deanna Casey said Thursday that Humphrey's absence would be noticeable.

"As far as I know we're just going to limp through it while he's gone," she said.

Humphrey said he was supposed to leave sooner, but he was granted extra time to "give away" one of his four daughters at her wedding next week.

Humphrey's last day will be Sept. 25, and he expects to return to his post at City Hall by early August.

Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at buffypollock@juno.com.

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