We Were Right! It's The Navy Man!

Our political prognostications about who the KW City Commission would pick for a new City Manager to succeed Julio Avael were correct. The number one choice of the City Commission is former Navy base commander, Jim "Dagwood" Scholl. Second place went to Coast Guard Rear Admiral Jeff Hathaway. Third place went to Gary Edwards, City Manager of Moberly, Missouri.

Only the Mayor and Commissioner Bill Verge, whose district includes Truman Annex, had other "favorite sons." Verge's choice came in second. The Mayor's choice was out of the running.

In an interesting twist, the Commission picked Commissioner Harry Bethel, who is retiring, to lead the contract negotiations with Scholl. This was probably a wise move, since after Bethel leaves, the City Manager will no longer be politically beholden to him. The new Manager's negotiated contract will still need Commission approval, but Bethel, as the most fiscally conservative of the Commissioners, should be able to convince the rest to go along with whatever monetary amount is negotiated.

The Commissioners have set a salary range for the new City Manager of between $160,000 and $200,000 per year, which is considerably more than the present City Manager, Julio Avael is making.

ADDED: Turns out some other Commissioners also had "favorite sons," including Commissioner Bethel, whose choice also came in second.