Decatur set to appoint interim city manger, hire search firm

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Decatur City Council is expected to appoint an interim city manager at Monday night's regular meeting.

According to the city council agenda, if approved, current Deputy City Manager Melissa Hon would take over as interim city manager.

The appointment would start Nov. 1, when current City Manager Tim Gleason resigns. Gleason announced his resignation last month.

WAND News previously reported Gleason resigned because of a contentious relationship with a member of city council. While Gleason didn't publicly name the person, WAND News uncovered it was Councilmember David Horn.

If appointed, Hon would be elevated to the city manager position after just eight months in her current role. Hon came to Decatur in February after spending nine years in Bloomington. She was most recently Bloomington's Director of Community Impact and Enhancement.

In February, WAND News reported her annual salary would be $175,000. The resolution before council would give her an additional $1,250 per week while performing the city manager duties. She would be in the role until her or the city terminated the agreement or a new city manager is appointed.

Also at Monday's meeting, council will consider spending $22,000 to hire Arndt Municipal Support to search for a permanent city manager. The city has worked with the Charleston-based consulting firm before. The agreement would outline the recruitment, background search, interview, and hiring process that Arndt would perform for the city. The total cost could be higher depending on candidate travel expenses and other materials in the search.

The agreement does not list a timeline for the search. Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe previously told WAND News a search for Gleason's replacement could take several months.

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