Council hires new city administrator for Scott City

The Scott City council voted narrowly to hire former West Park Mall operations manager Mike Crowden as the town’s new city administrator.

By a 4-3 vote, the council on Monday selected Crowden, one of two finalists for the position, said current city administrator Diann Ulmer. The name of the other finalist was not disclosed.

Councilman and pastor Randy Morse came to the meeting, but had to leave before the vote was taken because of the death of one of his church members, Ulmer said.

Council members Pat Brazel, Mike Ellison, Bill Schwartz and Matt Koehler voted to hire Crowden. The dissenting votes came from Mayor Norman Brant, Rodney Uhrhan and Gary Spinks.

Brant said both candidates were well-qualified to serve as administrator.

Ulmer agreed, “We had two good candidates,” she said.

Crowden was among 17 applicants for the job.

The council selected Crowden in a closed-door session after interviewing the finalists.

Crowden is scheduled to begin his duties as administrator Dec. 1, according to Ulmer. He will receive a salary of $50,000.

Crowden said he looks forward to working with the council, staff and business and community leaders.

In an email to the Southeast Missourian, Crowden said, “Scott City is a vibrant town with terrific people. Recent events have galvanized many residents, so the ability to serve and help this community prosper attracted me to this position.”

He wrote his management and entrepreneurship background will serve him well in his new job.

In the resume he submitted to Scott City officials, Crowden wrote that “for the past 10 years, I have led departments and companies ranging from commercial real-estate property management to in-demand custom retail.”

Crowden said he has no plans to move to Scott City at this time.

Crowden, who lives in Cape Girardeau, managed operations of West Park Mall from January 2009 to December 2014. In that role, he supervised and managed staff members from operations, maintenance, security, housekeeping, customer service and event planning, according to his resume.

As mall manager, he oversaw an operations budget of more than $4 million.

He owns Root + Holler, a Cape Girardeau business that supplies hormone- and steroid-free locally raised pork, beef, lamb and goat meat to restaurants, health-food stores, caterers and private consumers.

Crowden earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mass communication from Southeast Missouri State University in May 2000 and is track to graduate next year with a Master of Public Administration degree from the school.

Crowden will be the city’s third city administrator this year.

Ron Eskew resigned as city administrator in March amid an investigation into allegations of improper use of city funds.

Ulmer, former superintendent of Scott City schools, was hired in July as a part-time administrator. She resigned in August but was rehired in September to assist the council in the search for a new administrator.

Ulmer said at the request of the mayor and council members, she will stay on through the end of December to assist with the transition.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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