Cape Council sets process to replace city manager

Robbie Guard does not mince words about the job he and his colleagues on the Cape Girardeau City Council have in the next few months.

“Choosing a new city manager is the most important thing this council ever does,” said Guard, Fourth Ward councilman and mayor pro tempore.

Guard, who took his seat in April 2016, has been filling in at official functions for Mayor Bob Fox this week as Fox recovers at home from COVID-19.

Cape Girardeau’s six ward council members got a progress briefing this week in closed session from GovHR USA consultant Mark Peterson, who is leading the effort to find a successor to Scott Meyer, who will retire as city manager June 30 after a dozen years on the job — the longest tenure in city history.

Meyer came to the manager’s job almost literally from across the street, as he moved over from Southeast Missouri State University, where he had served four years as director of facilities management.

In 2009, Meyer’s familiarity with Cape Girardeau was seen as a decided asset.

“He knows where Sprigg Street is,” said then-Mayor Jay B. Knudtson at the time.

For this hiring cycle, Guard is not at all persuaded finding a “local” for the position is important.

“We’re a much different city than 12 years ago,” said Guard, 42, a 1996 graduate of Cape Girardeau Central.

“We need a game-changer in the job,” he added.

Skill sets

Guard said Peterson did interviews of selected stakeholders, plus every council member and city staff person filled out a survey which asked respondents to identify desired qualities in Meyer’s successor.

“We had dozens of employees complete the questionnaire, too,” he said.

After examining all the responses, Guard said six characteristics wanted in the next city manager were identified.

• Outstanding communicator
• Relationship builder
• Accountable
• Exceptional leader
• Analytical innovator
• Experienced and skilled.

“I think being an outstanding communicator is a characteristic of being a great leader in general,” said Guard, who by day is Cape Girardeau Market president for MRV Banks.

Timeline

Peterson has presented the first draft of a position announcement and will meet again with the council, either in person or virtually, on Dec. 7 and 18.

The job posting will go out via selected publications, social media and the websites of the City of Cape Girardeau and GovHR USA between Jan. 10 and 15.

Peterson is also at work on a recruitment brochure the council will review next month.

“We didn’t want to start a job search over the holidays,” Guard said.

Northbrook, Illinois-headquartered GovHR USA is a familiar executive search firm to the city as it led the search that brought Travis Hollis in as Cape Girardeau’s fire chief in August 2019.

Hollis formally left the fire department last month.

Guard said the projected start date for a new Cape Girardeau city manager is June 21, giving the new hire a few days of overlap with Meyer before the longtime city official retires.