MAYOR, BOARD SEEK NEW ADMINISTRATOR

JACKSON -- Jackson City Administrator Carl Talley's resignation after 38 years of city service leaves some large shoes to fill.

And, Mayor Paul Sander and four other city servants have the job of filling them.

The five, including City Attorney David Beeson, Aldermen David Ludwig and Jack Piepenbrok and Mayor Pro-tem Kevin Sawyer, have begun the process of sorting through more than 100 applications and selecting four to eight finalists.

These finalists eventually will meet with the Jackson Board of Aldermen for a presentation and question-and-answer session.

The board, with the mayor's approval, will select the next city administrator.

The employment advertisement, placed locally and in regional and state municipal magazines, calls for a college graduate with a major in public or municipal administration or equivalent experience.

It describes the job of overseeing 80 city employees and several departments.

"We're looking at both local and other candidates," Sander said. "In my opinion, we need someone who can lead the troops we have and can work closely with the grant people in Jefferson City."

Friday is the deadline for applicants.

After working nearly 10 years with Talley, Sander said, he feels regret at the city administrator's semi-departure.

While Talley will remain a consultant, his replacement will face challenges as Jackson deals with a large influx of new residents.

"Carl has been as big of a pro-Jackson person as I have seen in the past 30 years," ~Sander said, adding that Talley has kept the city's interests at heart.

And, although he wants to slow the pace, Sander knows Talley "will certainly be missed."

However, several of the applications look promising, the mayor added.

The board hopes to have a new administrator by late October or early November.