Cape City Council hires next city manager

Mayor Bob Fox confirmed to the Southeast Missourian on Sunday that the Cape Girardeau City Council has hired a city manager to succeed Scott Meyer, who plans to retire in June.

The selection, Fox said, will be revealed during the council’s regularly scheduled meeting today in council chambers at City Hall, 401 Independence St.

Council opens its meetings with a study session at 5 p.m., which is open to the public.

Fox, mayor since 2018, frequently has referred to the choice of a city manager as “the most important decision a sitting council will make.”

The municipal website, cityofcapegirardeau.org, describes the job in the following way:

“The city manager is the CEO of the city government and handles the day-to-day management of the city organization.

When the City Council makes a decision on an ordinance, law or policy, the city manager is responsible for implementing those policies.”

Meyer has held the position 12 years, longer than anyone else in municipal history.

Mark Peterson, consultant with Northbrook, Illinois-based GovHR USA, has assisted the council in finding a suitable successor to Meyer.

The city advertised the job as having a salary of $155,000 to $165,000 annually.

While little else is publicly known about the selection, Fox revealed earlier Meyer’s successor is not from Missouri.