BonnerSprings.com

After spending almost seven months on the job, the Edwardsville City Council deleted the word "interim" from Mike Webb's job title Monday.

The Council voted 5-0 to confirm Mayor Heinz Rodgers' appointment of Webb as city administrator at an annual salary of $90,000.

"Thank you for your consideration and your confidence," Webb said.

Rodgers described the contract as the culmination of an effort of more than a month.

Isenhour was enthusiastic about the process by which the contract was negotiated. "It was amazing how everybody brought something to the table this time," he said.

Webb previously worked in city management for several cities in Texas and Kansas.

According to a press release distributed by Rodgers, "his career has been characterized by strategic turnarounds - taking cities in a position of financial distress and putting plans in place that get them on a positive economic trajectory."

The release continued, quoting Rodgers:

"We're in a unique position of knowing what we're getting with Mike, and we've all been very pleased not only with his performance but with his commitment to seeing the city manage its growth. During his stint as interim administrator, he began to take the city to the next level in terms of professionalism and has helped focus our goals for the future."

One member of the public, former Council member John Broman, asked Rodgers why the city didn't make all the appointments at the time specified by the League of Kansas Municipalities, and why the city didn't conduct a search as was the case with the police chief's job.

Rodgers replied that the appointment was at his discretion as mayor, and added that he thought the result best served the city.

Members of the Council, at the end of the meeting, voiced their enthusiasm for the appointment.

"I am really excited about Mike being here," said Council member Chuck Adams.

Monday's meeting began with a work session at 6 p.m., in which Brent Miles, the new president of Wyandotte Development Inc., told the Council about the organization's new mission.

Miles, the former development director at Riverside, Mo., explained that the organization has recently broadened its mission statement to include residential, office, retail and industrial development. Previously, Wyandotte Development Inc. focused primarily on industrial development. It was involved in landing several projects in the Edwardsville Industrial Park.

The group, which has an annual budget of about $350,000, is funded by its members: the three city governments in Wyandotte County, plus the Kansas City, Kan., Board of Public Utilities, area utility companies and numerous individual members drawn from area bankers, lawyers, developers and construction executives.

The development group operates in four main areas, Miles said:

¢ Business/project attraction and recruitment.

¢ Business retention and expansion.

¢ Marketing and promotion.

¢ Workforce development and training.

Miles' presentation was brief because he had to give another to the Bonner Springs City Council.

Asked what Edwardsville should do to maximize its development potential, Miles encouraged the Council to make sure to give quick answers to developers' questions, and to make sure the Census is right.

After Miles left, Webb handed out two developments to serve as examples: MidPoint Corporate Centre and Raintree Apartments.

His principal recommendation to the Council was that the city's team should include five members: the city administrator, city attorney, bond counsel, financial adviser and a representative of Wyandotte Development Inc.

In other action, the Council approved:

¢ Payment of $262,608 in bills.

¢ Waiver of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for the year ending Dec. 31, 2006. Webb said it was typical for cities to avail themselves of the waiver, so that city finances can be figured on a cash basis.

¢ Authorized Webb to retain Shaner & Associates as right-of-way agents for sewers and the frontage road that are part of the Raintree project. Funds will come from the developer, Webb said.

¢ A proposal moved by Council member John Eickhoff to adopt action minutes instead of transcript minutes. Action minutes will contain only the vote on items before the Council. An audio recording of each meeting will be kept for two years or more, Webb said.

The Council also met in executive session to discuss personnel issues and litigation.

In addition, the Council approved the following appointments for three-year terms to volunteer boards and commissions:

¢ Planning Commission: Jeff Martinek, Tim Sweeten, Kelli Curry.

¢ Park & Recreation Advisory Board: Richard Carter, Connie Hadley, Crider (ex-officio).

¢ Board of Zoning Appeals: Mark Bishop, Scott Young, Candice Miller.

Council members were informed that Ruth Neal has tendered her resignation from the Cemetery Board. The position will remain vacant until a replacement is found, Rodgers said.

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