A new city planner for Poplar Bluff will bring grant writing experience and a history of community involvement to the position, city manager Mark Massingham announced Monday.
Matt Winters will start work March 22, leaving his longtime job as associate director of Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission.
This is one of three positions currently vacant that will be filled by city manager appointment.
The city started advertising this week for a street superintendent and is scheduling interviews now for a new position, human resources director. Pay for both will be dependent on experience and qualifications.
Winters, 46, serves on several city boards and has worked on a number of city projects over the years, Massingham said. He will have a salary of $65,000.
"I think he'll be a real asset to us," Massingham said.
Former city planner Dennis Avery retired March 1, after 28 years with the city. Avery had a salary of $66,915.
Winters has been associate director at OFRPC for nearly 10 years, working as human resources manager for Libla Communications prior to that.
He holds a bachelor's degree in management from Southeast Missouri State University and is a graduate of the Delta Regional Authority leadership academy.
"I am excited for this opportunity to serve the city of Poplar Bluff as the city planner," Winters said today. "The city has seen significant growth in the past few years and I look forward to working to do my part to see that growth continue."
Winters said he is interested in working with Massingham and the council in the future, and also would like to help Downtown Poplar Bluff keep momentum moving forward in the historic section of the city.
Winters currently serves as vice chairman of the city's Board of Adjustment and a member of the Poplar Bluff Planning and Zoning Commission. He will resign from both boards, which are overseen by the city planner.
Winters is also a member of the Rotary Club of Poplar Bluff and the Child Concern Center board.
"He's worked on a lot of flood buyout projects with us," Massingham said. "Also a benefit to us, he's administered a lot of different grants at Ozark Foothills and he's written a lot of different grants."
Massingham also will name both a new street superintendent and a human resources director in the coming weeks.
Assistant street superintendent Jody Hessling has served as interim superintendent since December, following the firing of former superintendent Denis Kearbey. Kearbey faces criminal charges related to the alleged threatening of another employee with a gun.
The city is creating a human resources director position after deciding to eliminate a finance position upon the retirement of another staff member. Municipal Utilities will share some of the cost of the new position, which will be responsible for filling job vacancies, training, discipline and termination of staff.