Scott City considers not having a city administrator

Scott City officials are contemplating the future of the city administrator's position after Ron Eskew's resignation left the post open in March.

"We just have an interim administrator filling in, and that was for 90 days," Scott City clerk Logan Eddleman said when reached by phone Tuesday. "From there, we're going to decide if we want to hire an administrator or if we would like the current one to continue doing it or hire a different one or if we need one at all."

The interim city administrator, Diann Ulmer, was hired April 3, giving the city until early July to decide the ultimate arrangement.

Eskew's resignation --which he said was "forced" by Mayor Ron Cummins -- came after an investigation into improper use of city credit cards by then-clerk Cindy Uhrhan, who was subsequently fired in February and replaced by Eddleman.

Attempts to reach Cummins Tuesday were unsuccessful.

As interim city administrator, Eddleman said Ulmer works part-time three days a week for 60 percent of what a full-time city administrator's salary would be. More specific salary information was not immediately available.

"Someone recommended her because she had experience doing budget stuff before," Eddleman said of Ulmer. "That's what we needed; someone to help us create a new budget."

The city's deadline for forming a budget is July 1. Eddleman said having a part-time city administrator has not affected city operations, and city officials may redefine the position as part-time.

"[Ulmer is] getting done way more in three days a week than what the previous [city administrator] was doing five days a week, so I don't think it's hurting at all," Eddleman said. "It could probably be a part-time position; that's how it is right now."

Eddleman said city attorney Frank Siebert ran advertisements for the administrator's position in the Missouri Municipal League and the Southeast Missourian.

Although searches of those sites Tuesday did not find active advertisements, Eddleman said the city still is accepting applications and has reqceived about a dozen so far.

The city council would have to go through a formal approval for Ulmer's position to become permanent, Eddleman said, but the focus now is on crafting the budget.

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627