Keokuk has reached an agreement with Cole O’Donnell to be the next city administrator. O’Donnell would replace Aaron Burnett, who is leaving June 22 to take the same job with Mason City, Iowa.
O’Donnell was one of five finalists for the post and one of 27 applicants.
The Keokuk City Council offered him the job early Saturday evening, following six hours of interviews and a roughly two-hour closed door meeting. O’Donnell accepted the job on Monday.
Burnett said the final contract must be drawn up before it can go before the Keokuk City Council for approval. He said that could take place as early as this week.
O’Donnell served as City Manager in Dixon, Illinois until August 2017. He previously worked as a city administrator in East Moline, Ill., Algona, Iowa and Renville, Minn.
His first day on the job in Keokuk is expected to be July 9. He will have six months to take up residence within the city.
Burnett said the city does not plan to appoint an interim administrator as the position will only be vacant for a couple of weeks. He plans to speak with O’Donnell about the position prior to his departure to get him up to speed on what is going on in Keokuk.
Burnett said the details of O’Donnell’s contract will be released as soon as possible. The city advertised the job as having a salary +/- $120,000 with full benefits.
