Doug Gerber, a Kansas native and former official in Topeka and Goodland, will be the next city manager of Shawnee.
Gerber’s hiring became official Monday evening with a unanimous vote from the Shawnee City Council.
He was one of five finalists interviewed in January as part of the search for a new top administrator for the city following the resignation last year of Nolan Sunderman.
Gerber has city manager experience
- Gerber currently works for JEO Consulting Group, a Midwestern planning firm.
- Prior to that, Gerber — a native of Newton, Kan. — served as the deputy city manager of Topeka.
- He also served stints as the city manager of Beloit and Goodland.
- “I am humbled that I was selected as the next City Manager for the City of Shawnee. I am passionate about good local government and I am excited to begin working with the City Council and staff to continue to move Shawnee forward,” Gerber said in a news release from the city.
Sunderman cited disagreements with the city council
- Late last year, former Shawnee city manager Nolan Sunderman resigned his role as the city manager after four years.
- Before that, he was an assistant city manager for the city.
- In resigning, he cited the city council’s “different path and vision for the future for Shawnee.”
- In November, Sunderman took a job as Olathe’s chief strategy officer, a new position that reports directly to Olathe’s city manager.
Gerber isn’t on the job yet
- Since former city manager Sunderman announced his departure last fall, the city’s public works director Doug Whitacre has served as interim city manager.
- Gerber was not in attendance at the council meeting on Monday when his hiring was announced.
- He will assume the office of the city manager after he is sworn in during the March 27 Shawnee City Council meeting.
- The city on Monday did not release details about Gerber’s contract or salary, and the Post has filed an open records request for that information.
- As city manager, Sunderman’s salary was $185,000, and he took a $20,000 pay cut in moving to Olathe.
