The Festus City Council will vote on hiring Benjamin DeClue as the new city administrator at Monday night’s (April 27) meeting, according to the meeting agenda distributed late today, April 24.
DeClue would be paid a salary of $160,000, with a $4,800 a year vehicle allowance, according to information included in information compiled by city staff. His term as city administrator would start June 28, the information states.
DeClue currently is village administrator of New Baden, Ill. Previously, he served as a city administrator or interim city administrator at a number of Missouri towns, including Lebanon, Ozark and Glendale.
He also has a work history in the Twin Cities, having been a city administration intern in Festus in 2014 and in Crystal City in 2013, according to information from his LinkedIn page.
His LinkedIn page also notes he was the founder of the Crystal City Farmers Market from January 2010 to January 2013 and that he served as Ward 2 Councilman in Crystal City from April 2005 to April 2009.
The Festus City Council held special closed session meetings April 22 and April 23 to interview final candidates for the city administrator position. Staff had previously reported 34 people applied for the job.
Greg Camp resigned as Festus city administrator Feb. 20 to take a similar job in Silverthorne, Colo. His salary as Festus city administrator was $163,707 a year, plus a $350 a monthly car allowance.
Festus city officials began searching for Camp’s replacement shortly after Jan. 14 when the Silverthorne Town Council voted to hire him as town manager.
The Festus council’s April 27 agenda also lists Aaron Pashia as a nominee to fill the Ward 2 council seat vacated by Staci Templeton after the April 13 meeting.