At a special meeting held last Thursday, the Board of Aldermen passed an ordinance creating a position of City Administrator. The ordinance also included the appointment of Public Works Director Nick Grube to that post. Grube will serve in both positions. His annual compensation will be $52,000. This makes him the chief administrative officer of the city and he will conduct the city’s day-to-day functions.

Grube will now be authorized to hire and fire all city employees, except elected officials, subject to rules or regulations put in place by the board.

The ordinance states that by its passage the city will be adopting the “City Administrator form of government” as allowed by state statutes. The administrator will be employed by the Board of Aldermen, with approval of the mayor, for an indefinite term of office.

Mayor Angela Koepke stated that Grube has been performing many of the duties of an administrator already. Since the departure of City Clerk Jane Hungler, Grube has prepared the city’s annual budgets.

The ordinance also expressly waived any requirement that Grube live within the city limits. He lives just a few miles south of town.

Grube will now be authorized to deal directly with government entities on the city’s behalf.

The ordinance also stated administration of the city’s business will be improved by adopting a city administrator form of government.

The city administrator will serve at the pleasure of the Board of Aldermen. The mayor, with the consent of the majority of the board, can remove the administrator from office at will. The administrator may also be removed by a majority of the vote of the entire Board of Aldermen, independently of the mayor’s approval or disapproval.

The appointment became effective Thursday, July 27.