Writer / Melissa Gibson
Deb Cook grew up in Bloomington and worked in Kokomo for years before moving to Hendricks County after accepting a position as economic development director for the Town of Brownsburg. Just two years later, in 2022, she would be named town manager, the first female town manager in the county.
Though Cook said she didn’t come to Hendricks County thinking she’d become a town manager, she’s never regretted the move.
“I love public service. I’ve worked in the public sector most of my adult life. Before I came to Brownsburg, I had been the CEO of Kokomo’s Housing Authority and served as a planner/community specialist and then development manager for the City of Kokomo,” Cook said. “I loved all of those jobs but was happy to get back into the economic development side of things.”
Today, Cook said as a resident of Brownsburg herself, it’s nice to be a part of trying to help create a sustainable future for the community.
The role of town manager is the only employee appointed by the town council. It combines day-to-day administration, budget management, policy execution, government relations, liaison and more, all in a day’s work.
“The council sets the policy and I execute it,” Cook said. “[Staff] work very closely together with open communication. My door is always open and they can come talk to me anytime. They can call me on the weekend or in the evening. I want to be approachable and part of the team.”
It’s a small team doing big things.
According to Cook, the town has been frugal, bringing together a qualified and committed staff who want the best for Brownsburg, and they continue to do more with less.
“I’m very proud of the staff we have here and if you look at the civil side, we have fewer employees now than we did 10 years ago [despite recent and large growth]. Sometimes it’s a challenge but we have a great team,” Cook said.
They all, Cook included, are watching Brownsburg grow and doing what they can to provide a quality of life Brownsburg residents have come to expect.
“I was struck when I moved here how nice everyone is. It’s a great community and this is my home too,” Cook said. “I enjoy seeing the community grow and we’ve been able to add some retail, which has been great and something we needed; we’ve added development which increases the tax base and creates the funds we need for the services we provide.”
Cook is married with five children and four grandchildren, along with a dog and cat: Wolfie and Odie. She enjoys walking the Brownsburg trails and attending town events, some of which, like the Christmas Under the Stars Parade, she calls “magical.”
She and the Town of Brownsburg are gearing up for a season of community activities.
The Fall Market is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at Town Hall Green. Trail & Treat is from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at Williams Park.
Brownsburg’s Field of Honor will be on display on the Town Hall Green Oct. 29-Nov. 11, with a Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 7, and the annual Christmas Under the Stars Parade and activities are 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5 on the Town Hall Green.
Details can be found at https://www.brownsburg.org/Calendar.aspx.
