City Council Hears from Two Firms Regarding City Administrator Search Process

The Effingham City Council has begun the process of selecting a successor to Jim Arndt as city administrator.

Arndt departed in recent weeks to become the City Manager of Paducah, Kentucky. City Clerk Kelsey Lock is serving as Interim City Administrator.

Representatives of two search firms made their pitches to aid the Council in their search for Arndt's successor. Both Mark Peterson of GovHR USA and Doug Thomas of Strategic Government Resources said it would likely be a 12-week process to come up with a replacement. Both firms have extensive experience in the search process, and both Peterson and Thomas are former city managers. The Council has not indicated a deadline for choosing a new administrator.

Lock reported that Fire Chief Joe Holomy has submitted his resignation due to retirement. The retirement is effective August 24.

Holomy said that he and his wife Mary agreed after extensive discussion that it was time for him to retire. We asked him what got him interested in the Fire Service. He said it was the 70's TV show "Emergency" that sparked his interest. Holomy got to recently meet "John Gage", actor Randolph Mantooth, who was the star of the show and got his picture taken with the actor. We'll have a more extensive interview with Joe Holomy on the website.

Assistant Fire Chief Matt Kulesza gave his quarterly report on activities in his office. The quarter included 519 total inspections. Kulesza said he is getting more plans in for structures and remarked on the good working relationship with the Building Official's officein making sure structures in the city are sound.

The Council also:

--finalized an economic development agreement with Aggressive Developments of Missouri, allocating up to $100,000 toward the redevelopment costs to convert the former Lone Star restaurant building into the new home for a McAlister's Deli

--finalized acquisition of property along Keller Drive and Outer Belt West for a sidewalk project

--approved a contract with Goeckner Masonry to relocate the markers from Wabash and 5th to the Courthouse Museum south entrance

--approved an agreement with IDOT for resurfacing of Wabash Avenue from 4th Street to the CN Railroad crossing

--approved a contract with Double D Signs for replacement of public parking signage downtown

--annexed the Central School property into the City

--approved plats of Sport Design and Graphics Subdivision as part of that business' construction of an additional building and of the second addition to Golden Fields Subdivision where a multi-family residential project will be developed

--denied a request for rezoning of the Billy and Florence Genaust property along Airport Road, with the provision that the project is being reworked to eliminate the need for rezoning

--approved a change in the City Code regarding where banquet facilities can be located in town

--purchased computers for the new police station from System Development Services

--heard that bids will be opened July 31 for the annual pavement patching program

City Commissioner Merv Gillenwater was not present for Tuesday's meeting.