The city of Weyauwega will have an interim city administrator in the wake of Sheryl Scheuermann’s March 1 resignation from that position.
The Common Council voted 4-0 Tuesday, March 6 to accept a proposal from William L. Forrest, of Forrest & Associates in Wausau, to provide interim city administrator services for the city.
Two members of the council – Bruce Brunner and Jerry Juve – were absent.
It was the only item on the agenda during the second of two special council meetings that were held in less than a week.
The first special council meeting was on Thursday, March 1.
On that night, the council met in closed session before going into open session to accept the resignation of Scheuermann.
The resignation, effective immediately, was accepted with “regrets and best of luck,” according to the minutes from the meeting.
Scheuermann did not submit a letter of resignation.
“There wasn’t a letter. She just informed the council members that she wanted to resign,” City Attorney Dave Werth told the County Post.
When asked if Scheuermann said why she was resigning or if she was leaving to take a position elsewhere, Werth said, “She didn’t say anything. I don’t know. She never expressed a definitive reason.”
The County Post West was unsuccessful in reaching Scheuermann for comment.
Several other motions were made during the March 1 meeting, including:
• Adding Juve as a signer on city bank accounts until the end of his term, which is after the April 3 election.
• Contacting Forrest for an interim city administrator proposal.
• Having Alderman Mike Kempf, who is the public works chairperson, contact Faulks Bros. Construction in regard to plowing.
During the council’s March 6 meeting, Forrest explained his proposal.
“There are some who were around when I was here the last time,” he said to the council.
He was referring to a previous time that he also served as the city’s interim city administrator.
That was for at least six months when former City Administrator Nick Wohlt resigned in 2005.
Forrest served as interim city administrator until Scheuermann’s starting date, which was Jan. 3, 2006.
Forrest & Associates is a professional community development and management consulting firm, and Forrest has more than 39 years of experience providing professional management and administrative services.
He estimates being in Weyauwega two days a week, working approximately 16 to 20 hours per week.
Forrest will be paid $70 per hour, plus expenses for any mileage, lodging or meals.
He plans to meet with each member of the council to discuss priorities and sees his role as to sustain key management responsibilities and support the city in its work.
“Basically, I’m free to be consulted, to provide guidance, support,” Forrest told the council.
He will attend committee and council meetings as requested and will assess the needs of the current city administrator position.
If the city decides to replace Scheuermann, Forrest will serve in an advisory role. “I would not do the recruitment,” he said.
Since he is contracting with the city, either Forrest or the city can terminate the agreement with seven days written notice.
Mayor Don Morgan said, “I know from our previous experience, I was impressed with his service.”