After 31 years of service to the city of Emporia, City Manager Mark McAnarney announced Wednesday he will be retiring before the year is out.
McAnarney made the announcement during an emotional speech before the Emporia City Commission at their recent action session. McAnarney, an Osage City native, began his career with Emporia back in 1989 as the Assistant City Manager under Steve Commons and later Matt Zimmerman before taking over his current position on an interim basis in 2013 and then permanently in 2014.
McAnarney says he has had a tremendous career and more than anything he will cherish the numerous relationships he has formed over the years.
Current Assistant City Manager Lane Massey, who came to the city back in 2017, says he has learned several invaluable lessons working beside McAnarney the past four years.
Emporia Mayor Rob Gilligan says McAnarney has been a true asset to the community and he will be missed upon his official retirement.
City commissioners have approved Special Projects Coordinator Jim Witt to issue a request for proposal to secure the services of an executive search firm that will be responsible for overseeing the search for McAnarney’s replacement. An exact date for when McAnarney will officially retire has yet to be announced, however, he says it will be before the end of the year.
In other business, commissioners approved an ordinance increasing the city’s one-time water tap fee. The original proposal, which failed during the commission’s May 5th action session, would have seen the fee rise from $126 to $1,100.
The new ordinance will see that increase essentially cut in half with the cost of performing a tap on a 5/8 inch meter and one-inch tap rising to $500 and the proposed increase for a 3/4 inch meter and one-inch tap rising to $550. The new increases are based on data collected during a survey from 2016.
Mayor Gilligan, who was not in favor of the original proposal, feels this is a fair increase as it is a data-driven decision.
Per the new ordinance, any tap for a meter large than one inch will be priced based on the 2016 survey.
Separately Wednesday, commissioners approved a series of updates to city code for the operation of electric-assisted scooters, the issuance of industrial revenue bonds for the National Plaza & Lofts and Preston Plaza & Lofts project, a request for a beer garden for the “Big on the Block” block party later this month and a utility easement for Westar Energy and USD 253.
Mayor Gilligan also signed a proclamation declaring the month of June as Zoo Month in Emporia.
The Emporia City Commission will reconvene for a study session next Wednesday morning inside the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
