T-R FILE PHOTOS The Marshalltown city council accepted the resignation of City Administrator Jessica Kinser, pictured at left in 2021, during Monday night’s meeting and subsequently appointed Robert Fagen, right, to fill the role on a temporary basis for up to 12 weeks.

The city council voted 5-2 to accept the voluntary resignation of City Administrator Jessica Kinser, who has held her position in Marshalltown since 2016, during Monday night’s regular biweekly meeting.

Kinser herself was not present for the entire meeting as she was told she was “excused,” according to an email exchange with the Times-Republican. After entering a closed session with City Attorney Steve Leidinger of Lynch Dallas PC near the end of the meeting, the council re-emerged and voted 5-2, with Al Hoop and Gary Thompson opposing, to accept the terms of the resignation.

From there, Councilor Gabe Isom made a motion to approve Robert Fagen, who has previously served the cities of Cumming, Des Moines (where he worked as the finance director), Spencer, Pleasant Hill and Altoona, as the interim city administrator for a period of 12 weeks with a salary not to exceed $15,000.

Under city code, the mayor assumes the duties of the city administrator on an interim basis in the absence of a permanent administrator, and Councilor Gary Thompson said he believed Greer should take on the role himself to save the city money.

“I know we don’t agree on everything, and this is another one we won’t agree on, but I had to say it,” Thompson said.

Greer responded that he would prefer someone with the “wherewithal and experience” to handle some of the major projects underway, including the State Street overhaul and grant applications.

“I probably have the skill set to handle something like that, but I certainly don’t have the knowledge and ability, the working knowledge of city codes and requirements, the people that can make things work (and) the relationships that are built up through the staff,” Greer said. “Whereas I think I can probably grow into a job and I might even qualify for it if I tried to be a city administrator in a similar city, I am absolutely unqualified to do this job. The city’s money is best spent having someone who truly knows how to do it and would fit in well in a temporary slot.”

Councilor Jeff Schneider reported that he had lunch with Fagen last week and offered his “full endorsement” of hiring him as interim city administrator. Greer, a Spencer native, said Fagen came highly recommended from the mayor of his hometown.

The council ultimately voted 5-2, with Thompson and Hoop again opposing, to appoint Fagen on an interim basis. During a brief subsequent interview, Fagen said he was excited to get to work and bring his expertise to Marshalltown.

“It’s just 35 years in government, so I’ve seen from the smallest city to the largest city and learned a lot. So what I bring here, hopefully, is some of that experience so I can help find solutions to some things,” he said. “The mayor brought me around the city, and there’s some really neat stuff that’s going on. So I want to learn more about them, and I do see some cool things going on.”

Fagen added that he is uncertain about when he officially starts, but in an email, Kinser said she planned to work until the end of the week to wrap up and assist with the transition process.

In a public social media post, Greer praised Kinser for the work she did throughout her tenure and, specifically, for leading the city through two natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The councilors, city staff members and mayor have had a 360 degree look at what (Kinser) has meant to repairing, rebuilding, improving and growing our fair city. She has juggled all of us and a challenging budget, encouraged developers, handled complaints, and collaborated with all kinds of planners, committees, commissions and non-profits. Her communication with the council has been extraordinarily better than our past experience,” Greer wrote. “Nobody could have predicted our young city administrator would have her mettle tested by a tornado, derecho and covid virus. Few appreciate the stress and the toll those things took on the physical and mental make-up of the city employees, especially their boss.”

After adjournment, Mayor Joel Greer declined to answer a question about whether Kinser will be paid any sort of settlement or severance package but said the information would be released to the public sometime in the future. Section 22.13 of the Iowa Code stipulates that any settlement agreement involving a public entity shall be made public upon request.

Kinser did not offer specific comments on the circumstances surrounding her departure but did submit an Op-Ed reflecting on her time with the city that will be published in this weekend’s T-R.

In other business, the council:

• Approved the consent agenda as listed by a 6-1 vote, with Thompson opposing.

• Approved a professional services agreement in the amount of $218,938 with Bolton and Menk for design services on the first phase of Riverview Park by a 6-1 vote with Thompson opposing.

• Approved a resolution amending the professional services agreement with Fox Strand for the State Street Parking Lot “T” improvements by a 5-2 vote, with Thompson and Hoop opposing.

• Approved a listing agreement with Five Star Real Estate for the Edgewood Industrial Park.

• Approved a resolution setting a public hearing on a budget amendment for FY2023.

• Approved a resolution providing for the conveyance and transfer of title to a portion of vacated but unconveyed alley at 5 S. 12th St.

• Approved a resolution providing for the vacation of the east-west alley through the Miller Middle School practice field.

• Approved the first reading of an ordinance update for fire prevention and protection.

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Contact Robert Maharry

at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.