'Final Four' city manager candidates visit Cape for interviews

Mayor Bob Fox confirmed four city manager finalists sat for in-person interviews with members of the Cape Girardeau City Council on Wednesday and Thursday.

The quartet was also to have toured the community and met with city staff.

The City Council had earlier identified five finalists.

Fox said the council will discuss its impressions of the candidates in a closed session meeting today.

The seven-member council has declined to name the four remaining hopefuls because of the privacy accorded a personnel matter.

Fox earlier confirmed none of the finalists for the position, with an announced $155,000 to $165,000 salary range, is from Missouri.

The City Council is expected to choose a successor to Scott Meyer, the longest-tenured city manager in municipal history, late this month.

If it deems necessary, the council has set aside April 26 and 27 for second interviews.

Big shoes

Meyer became city manager in 2009 and is expected to retire in June.

Before his arrival at city hall, Meyer served as director of facilities management for Southeast Missouri State University.

Fox has previously called hiring a city manager, "the most important decision city council makes."

In a recruitment brochure advertising the job, interested applicants were informed the city had 498 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees and a $59 million annual budget.

On the heels of hiring the next manager, the new $12.5 million City Hall on Lorimier Street is expected to be ready for occupancy no later than Oct. 1.

Appointments

In its most recent public meeting April 5, the City Council approved the following people to serve on advisory boards or commissions:

• Brad Wittenborn to the Golf Course Advisory Board for a term expiring Jan. 18, 2023.
• Brianna DeWitt, Phyllis Sides and Lea Bohr to the Historic Preservation Commission for terms expiring April 16, 2024.
• Danny Essner and Albert Spradling III to the Tax Increment Financing Commission for terms expiring April 1, 2025.
• Mayoral appointments of R. Scott Blank and V. Lee Hatcher to the Town Plaza Community Improvement District Board of Directors for terms expiring April 12, 2025, were confirmed by the council.