Massingham retires after 30 years of public service, marking Poplar Bluff’s progress and potential

Now retired Poplar Bluff City Manager Mark Massingham didn’t come into his role at a time anyone would envy.

It was nine months after a longtime city manager was abruptly ousted by a divided council, and weeks after the replacement was fired.

The city’s budget was in the red, and it faced many problems on the road to correcting that.

Massingham has tried to help guide the city through these troubled waters for the past five years as city manager. He retired this month after nearly 30 years in municipal government.

He was honored Friday by those who recognize his efforts, both during the tumultuous recent years, and in the decades that came before.

Retirement has been on his mind for a long time, Massingham said in an interview shortly after making the announcement in early July.

But then the coronavirus hit, and the timing didn’t feel right.

“I felt like, I can’t abandon ship right now,” he said.

But then, maybe it would never feel like the right timing, since there are always big decisions and difficult times ahead it seems.

Newly appointed city manager Matt Winters will oversee his first city council meeting Monday, when decisions are expected on budget cuts needed to help keep the municipality out of the red for 2020.

Massingham had hoped city residents would support a use tax measure during the municipal election, and cuts could be avoided.

The use tax failed in a postponed June vote, but by a narrower margin this time than in previous attempts.

The vote was not part of his decision making regarding retirement, he said. These conversations started even earlier than February, Massingham explained, but it was always about trying to find the right time.

When it came down to it, Massingham, who enjoys the outdoors, couldn’t see postponing the decision for another entire summer.

He will turn 62 in December. He has worked for the city since the age of 32, after serving on the city council. He served as finance and personnel director for about 25 years, before serving as interim and then city manager.

Massingham became interested in city government because he saw Poplar Bluff’s potential for growth long before Briggs & Stratton built a factory or interest was sparked in an Interstate 57 route.

“It just looked like Poplar Bluff was starting to move forward,” said Massingham, whose family also has ties to public service.

Massingham was a city council member when Briggs & Stratton first decided to locate in Poplar Bluff and was city manager when local officials negotiated an expansion of the facility in the past year.

Construction of the Black River Coliseum, and the move of city hall from Broadway to Oak Street, were other big moments.

Massingham was mayor in 1990 when Walmart Supercenter opened, walking around the new store with Sam Walton and other local dignitaries.

“Back then, everybody thought everything was going to move north. That’s all we talked about, and then all of a sudden, Walmart moves south and it just kind of changed everything,” Massingham said.

Infrastructure improvements have also followed and created more progress.

“We’ve definitely grown our retail in the last few years. It’s great to be able to keep people here to shop,” Massingham said.

Poplar Bluff has dealt with many controversial issues in recent years, but, Massingham agrees, is also fortunate to be able to consider where a new police department will go or how to work with new retailers.

“Progress is going to be controversial,” he said. “I can … in the early 70s, Pizza Inn opened up and wanted to sell beer, and the world was going to end because they were going to sell beer.

“Whatever your beliefs are on alcohol, the world didn’t end and now how many restaurants sell beer or mixed drinks?”

One of the misconceptions about the city manager position, Massingham said, is how much control the individual has over some city matters.

Many decisions are at the discretion of the city council.

“I try to let the council know how I feel. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don’t,” Massingham said. “I’ve always said … when something comes across the table and you have seven yes votes, then there’s something wrong.

“When you have a 4-3 vote, or a 5-2 vote, that means those individuals are thinking on their own to represent their constituents and that’s the way it should be.”

Massingham looks forward in retirement to travel, when it’s possible, time working on landscape painting, and spending time with family.

Mark Massingham and his wife, Paula, stand with the retirement cake given at his reception.DAR/Paul Davis

Massingham and his wife, Paula’s, family includes two sons, Garrett and Landon, and daughter, Lyndsey. Garrett and wife, Stephanie, welcomed their first child, a daughter, earlier this month.