Eldon appoints new city administrator

Deborah Guthrie was hired as Eldon City Administrator at Monday's Board of Aldermen meeting. She plans to remain in the position for one year.
Deborah Guthrie was hired as Eldon City Administrator at Monday's Board of Aldermen meeting. She plans to remain in the position for one year.

The city of Eldon has appointed Deborah A. Guthrie as the city administrator during a board meeting Monday.

"I'm glad to be back working with the staff," Guthrie said.

Guthrie is coming out of a four-year retirement. Prior to her retirement, she was with the city for 20 years. Her last position was city administrator. Guthrie will begin her duties Saturday and remain in the position for one year.

Current City Administrator Debbie Feeback resigned in January, leaving before her three-year contract ended. Her last day will be Friday.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Debbie Feeback for her patience and consideration these last three weeks of training and bringing me back up to date on city procedures," Guthrie said.

Aldermen voted to table the appointment of a new city clerk which was on the agenda. Stacie Howk, of Westphalia, has been working with the city in an hourly position. Mayor Larry Henderson said she has previous experience and has been with the city for a couple weeks.

"We don't have any information, we're asked to approve the hiring of the clerk but we don't know anything about her and I think it would be best to continue to have her in the role as a temporary employee for the next two weeks until we can have a closed session," Ward One Aldermen Doug Partridge said.

Henderson was not pleased with the motion, which was voted unopposed by aldermen Partridge, Rodney Fair, Jerome Atteberry, Bryon Hull and Derek Nelson.

Former City Clerk Tara Berreth resigned in early January. Berreth had been with the city for almost 13 months. She accepted a position with Osage Beach.

"This is no disrespect at all we've gone down paths before that we don't want to again and we want to make sure everything is done properly," Hull said to Howk and the room. "Whenever it comes to an official such as this it does come to our vote which means we need to decide upon it. We need the information to be able to make that decision properly and that has not been provided yet - It is not micromanagement it is democracy."

During a special meeting Jan. 29, Jennifer Vernon was appointed interim deputy city clerk. She said Henderson requested she fill the position until someone was hired full-time. Vernon is also the public works/codes administrative assistant city clerk.