POULSBO — City finance director Al Juarez remembers the first time he and his wife visited Little Norway more than 10 years ago.

“We were living in Olympia and it was during the summer,” Juarez said. “Everything was in bloom and it was just bustling with activity.”

The couple returned during the Christmas season and found the city in the midst of its traditional holiday celebrations, he said.

“From that point forward we held the city in high regard,” he said.

When the opportunity arose to work for the city, Juarez said his wife asked him one question.

“That Poulsbo?” he recalled. “I love that place.”

Professionally, Juarez said he was also familiar with the city’s finance department and former finance directors Nanci Lien and Donna Bjorkman.

The city was on the cutting edge in terms of implementing new guidelines in how local governments present their financial data, Juarez said.

“Poulsbo was among the first to do so, and I attended training at the Sons of Norway taught by Donna Bjorkman,” he said.

The decision to leave his post a the city of Shoreline wasn’t easy, but Juarez said Poulsbo’s small-town feel and sense of community reminded him of his service in Olympia.

“That was something I didn’t miss at first, but after awhile I did,” he said.

In addition to having a small-town sense of community, Juarez said the city’s progressive leadership was another draw.

“It’s something that I think I can be cohesive with,” he said.

In his first week on the job, Juarez said one thing has stood out about the department he now leads.

“Nanci (Lien) did a great job in assembling the team here,” he said. “They’re all hard workers.”

With the city’s current efforts to build a new city hall, Juarez said the interview panel asked him specific questions in regard to its funding methods. One of his projects in Olympia consisted of funds from multiple jurisdictions, and Juarez said he learned some important lessons from that experience.

“One of the things that is important is that we have to be examples in being stewards of our funds if we are going to be in leadership,” he said.

The city must also follow all of the applicable state laws and regulations and be aware of any state or federal agencies that might be involved, he said.

“We need to make sure all our T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted,” Juarez said.

If the city ends up working with a private entity, it must keep all of the stakeholders informed of what’s going on, and everyone involved needs to be on the same page, he said.

“We need to preach the benefits of what we’re doing,” he said.

Even though he is currently making the commute from the north end of Seattle to Poulsbo, Juarez said he and his wife have already begun searching for a home in North Kitsap.

“It’s just a matter of time,” he said. “I think it’s very important for people to be involved in their community.”