Deputy Manhattan City Manager Jason Hilgers will assume the role of interim city manager next month, upon the retirement of long-time City Manager Ron Fehr.
City commissioners approved a contract agreement at Tuesday’s legislative meeting that will pay Hilgers his base salary plus 13%, while he maintains his current position and the interim role, which will begin on April 19 until a successor is selected.
“Once the interim role is complete, I’ll return back to my role as deputy city manager,” Hilgers said following Tuesday’s meeting.
Hilgers, who has worked with the City of Manhattan for 24 years says he has no desire to seek the city manager position.
“Personally it’s one of those things that if I was really chomping at the bit to be a city manager I probably would’ve left several years ago. I like what I do. Being a manager is a different job,” he said.
The city’s firm helping with the hiring process will begin conducting stakeholder meetings March 16, according to Mayor Wynn Butler who appeared on KMAN’s In Focus Monday.
“We’ve got about 23 groups that will be giving input. The idea is to put together a profile for the new city manager, asking what is it that everybody desires,” he said.
Hilgers will be involved in the selection process and says staff stand ready to assist commissioners.
“The commission’s got a tough job. They get to look at all the applicants, sift through them, figure out who they’d like to select to take over. We as administration, myself included, stand ready to assist in however we can and look forward to the opportunity,” he said.
Fehr’s retirement is effective April 18. He’s been in the role since April 2000.
