Marble Hill hires new city administrator

MARBLE HILL, Mo. — In a special meeting last week, the Marble Hill Board of Aldermen hired Michael Johnson as a part-time city administrator at a salary of $30,000.

His employment is effective immediately.

Johnson also has had a contract with the city for the last seven years as a water operator, responsible for inspecting the city’s water and wastewater systems. He will continue to work in that capacity.

Michael Johnson

Through his business as an independent contractor, Johnson, 57, also has worked for the Missouri cities of Greenville, Marquand, Piedmont and Wappapello.

He serves on the board of the Ridgetop Water District in Wappapello, is working with Green and Associates of Malden, Missouri, on water and sewer projects and is working with Marquand in its application for a grant for a water/sewer system.

He holds several certificates from Crowder College near Kansas City, Missouri, and has worked with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Missouri Rural Water.

Johnson will supervise all city employees and serve in an administrative capacity.

“I’ve been overseeing the water and sewer department behind the scenes for the past seven years,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of workers come and go through here in the last seven years. I am here to help.”

Johnson said he has no plans to make changes.

“Everything seems to be going OK,” he said.

Johnson and his family live in Wappapello, where his business is based.

He originally is from northern Wisconsin, where he worked for the state’s Department of National Resources and owned a tree farm.

He said he sold the farm, and when his former employee moved to Missouri, he came to visit him and liked it so much, he also moved.

“I got tired of that 35- to 40-below-zero weather,” he said.

Johnson said he has experience with street departments as well as water and sewer departments.

“I like a challenge,” he said. “I think everything is going to be just fine.”

Pertinent address:

302 Union St., Marble Hill, Mo.