TOPEKA, KANSAS – The city of Topeka, Kansas is considering five candidates for the city manager position that has been vacant since October, and Mason City’s city administrator is one of them.
Doug Gerber, formerly the deputy city manager, is currently serving as Topeka’s interim city manager. The candidates will be in Topeka for interviews on July 21st and July 22nd.
Strategic Government Resources (SGR), a local government executive search firm based in Keller, Texas, was selected to conduct the nationwide city manager search. SGR’s recruitment and vetting process produced an impressive field of candidates, with the city receiving 28 applications from candidates in 17 states.
Brent Trout has 25 years of city administration experience and currently serves as the city administrator and city clerk for the city of Mason City, Iowa, a position he has held since 2007. He previously served as city administrator and city clerk for the cities of Boone, Eagle Grove, and Bancroft, Iowa. He has also served in the Iowa Army National Guard, with over 29 years of service, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2015. Trout earned a master’s and bachelor’s degree in public administration from Drake University and is an ICMA credential manager. Also, Trout was born and raised in the Kansas City area. He graduated from Blue Springs High School.
Topeka, Kansas, has a population of over 127,000 and is 50 miles west of Kansas City.
The other four finalists are:
David Hales has 37 years of local government experience, with almost 30 years in city management. He currently serves as the city manager for the city of Bloomington, Illinois. He previously served as director of finance and administrative services for the city of West Jordan, Utah, and the city manager for the cities of Bend, Oregon, Kannapolis, North Carolina, and Centerville, Utah. Hales earned a master’s degree in public administration from Brigham Young University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Utah. He is an ICMA credentialed manager.
Doug Gerber has 20 years of local government experience and has served as Topeka’s interim city manager since October. He joined the city in 2014 and has served as deputy city manager since September 2015, having previously served as the city’s interim director of utilities, interim public works director, and director of administrative and financial services. He also served as city manager for the city of Goodland, Kansas, city administrator for the city of Beloit, Kansas, and assistant city manager for the city of Salina, Kansas. Gerber attended Kansas State University where he earned a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Jason Gage has over 20 years of local government management experience and currently serves as the city manager for the city of Salina, Kansas, a position he has held since 2007. He previously served as Salina’s assistant city manager. He has also served as the city manager for the cities of Stillwater, Oklahoma, and De Soto, Missouri. Gage earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Missouri and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Missouri Southern State College. He is an ICMA credentialed manager.
Jeffrey Dingman has over 20 years of local government experience and currently serves as the deputy city administrator for the city of Fort Smith Arkansas. He previously served as city administrator for the city of Baldwin City, Kansas, assistant county administrator for Sebastian County, Arkansas, and administrative aide to the city manager for the city of University Park, Texas. Dingman earned a juris doctorate and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Baker University. He is an ICMA credentialed manager.
A community reception will be held on Friday, July 21st from 4:30pm to 6:30pm at the Holliday Building, 620 SE Madison Street, Topeka, KS where members of the community will have an opportunity to meet the candidates.
I wish Brent Trout luck with his future, but it would be a real loss to Mason City to lose this excellent city manager.
Great I hope he gets this job and we go back to the NEW mayor running the show and allowing the economic group to find new business to locate in our city or north ia. Save about 160k in the process.
just like the rest, get the city all f**ked up and turn tail and run
Don’t blame the city officials, blame the jack wagons citizens who want to see this city stagnate.
What gives?? Trout blows half million dollars on Bookmeyer’s downtown boondoggle, and now he wants to bail out of River City. But to job hunt while still employed with the city is the height of arrogance. His job should be posted as vacant, and the Council should send him packing.
Cripes there are some dumb posts at NIT. This one is certainly worthy of being among the dumbest.
You just can’t stand to hear the truth can you Snowflake?
Truth? I feel sorry for the person that thinks any of that post is the ‘truth’. Its more the ramblings of a minimally educated, bitter person, who likely performs menial labor for a living.
Any reasonably competent person in a professional position gets solicitations from headhunters, so I doubt there is much ‘job searching’ going on (although who could really blame the guy of wanting to get out of the toxic environment that is Mason City politics). The job of the city administrator is to manage the day to day operations of the city under the direction of the city council and mayor (so the spending of $500k was not Mr Trouts decision to make).
That post was by LVS. He’s an old coot who trolls this site with his minimally literate slams. We all just ignore him but your point is well taken.
Truth? I feel sorry for the person that thinks any of that post is the ‘truth’. Its more the ramblings of a minimally educated, bitter person, who likely performs menial labor for a living.
Any reasonably competent person in a professional position gets solicitations from headhunters, so I doubt there is much ‘job searching’ going on (although who could really blame the guy of wanting to get out of the toxic environment that is Mason City politics). The job of the city administrator is to manage the day to day operations of the city under the direction of the city council and mayor (so the spending of $500k was not Mr Trouts decision to make).
It was his job to recommend or deny and he has become such a butt kisser he did what the mayor wanted. He used to be a honorable man but has allowed the mayor to compromise his value’s. Time for him to move on and that is the truth.
^^
Not correct.
Brent Trout could recommend or not recommend but he could not DENY the decisions of of the city council.
And that is the truth.
You are exactly right.
While there are a few people on here that make logical, informed and intelligent comments, sadly there are quite a few that are..well lets just say not the sharpest tools in the shed.
I have said it before, much like a flame to moths, NIT seems to draw in some of the most bigoted, stupid and uninformed people in North Iowa.
A gathering place for the ignorant & idiotic if you will.
LVS would not resent that comment because he is too stupid to realize how really stupid that he is.
LVS will just delete the comment(s) because he is a sniveling little weasel.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but it is obvious that you don’t really believe your own comments or you wouldn’t be hurling insults. I have talked to Trout many times and used to have a lot or respect for him. When he went for his gun when Matt tried to enter a room that ended that respect. It was obvious he had sold out to the mayor. No amount of denial on your part can change that.
And you are entitled to your opinion as well.
It is not an insult when it is factual as there are some very ignorant people on this site.
My point was that Brent Trout has no control of how the money is spent, he just administers it.
The comment that I originally replied to, insinuated that Trout was responsible for those decisions which is factually incorrect.
As far as Marquardt is concerned, he is an instigator and when it comes to insults, he relishes in that as it is personal mantra.
You understand nothing. He was recruited away by a search firm!!! He did not go looking for another job!!!!
People like you are too stupid to comment.
So whats happening with that highline back trail hes in charge of? The city agrees on a price in decemeber. When will I be hearing from you mr trout? Before or after you take another job? That bike trail runs through my backyard, it would be nice if people would finalize a few things before leaving.
Mr. Trout has done a good job for Mason City. He has only done what he has been ASKED to do. I did not like some of the things he worked on but I certainly respect Mr. Trout. He has been nothing but professional when I had any interaction with him. i wish him all the best and Topeka will be lucky to get him.
I rarely agree with Watchdog on anything, but I believe that he nailed the analysis of Mr. Trout to a tee.
Brent Trout is intelligent, and very skilled in the area of government administration.
Unfortunately Mr. Trout had the great misfortune of having to serve most of his tenure under Eric Bookmeyer.
Good luck Brent, I hope you get the job. I’ve always thought that you could be a good administrator, if it wasn’t for the anchor that pulls you down.
Is the Anchor all the negative nelly’s that live in this town?
Indeed and count Allen among the most vocal here.
There you go again anonymous, talking out of your ass because your head knows better. Where have you been the last eight years, trolling, take your blinders off,
The mayor, 5 city council seats, and now maybe the city administrator? Last one out of city hall turn out the lights.
Nothinng to see here – no kickbacks from the pork plant/ice rinky dinky etc.
I don’t think Trout would have been so disliked, if he hadn’t been the mayors bitch for the last eight years. Time for a change. Whether he gets the job or not, we need a new face in that office.
DITTO!!! Trout was a “good guy” BUT then he hitched his wagon to Bookie. If he doesn’t leave on his own, he should be replaced!
Good! It is time for a change in the administration of Mason City. I hope Trout take our crooked mayor with him. Then if we can just get rid of the butt kissers on the council we might just have a chance.