City hires new administrator

Robert Knabel of Collinsville, Ill., will become Newton’s city administrator.

The Newton City Council approved a measure to hire Knabel on Monday evening, filling the post vacated by the retirement of Tom Wardlow earlier this year. Bryan Friedman has been serving as interim city administrator and will continue in that capacity until Knabel starts on March 5.

Knabel resigned as city manager of Collinsville last November after, according to a news story in the Suburban Journals in St. Louis, he was asked by the city council to resign. Knabel has served in city management for 35 years, including working for the municipal governments in Missouri, Kansas, Idaho, New York and Illinois.

The city will pay Knabel a salary of $120,000 and the employment agreement includes up to $10,000 for moving expenses. Knabel sent a letter to the city on Monday accepting the position and wrote that he plans to be in Newton on Feb. 17 to physically sign the employment agreement.

Earlier in the meeting, council members approved a plan to connect the city’s hike and bike trail to Aurora Heights Park, 5-1 over the objection of council member Mike Hansen. The approved plan will include signage to direct hike/bike traffic from the current trail terminus at East 20th Street South and South Seventh Avenue East to walk on existing sidewalks to Aurora Heights Park or for bicyclists to travel on street. Hansen did not like the fact that the city would not continue the eight-foot wide trail like it has to this point, but Public Works Director Keith Laube indicated there were some grade issues in trying to widen existing sidewalks along East 21st Street South. The city has $78,000 in federal funds to help complete the project, which includes paving an 8-foot wide trail along the south and east sides of Aurora Heights Park.

Mayor Chaz Allen honored Westwood Golf Course Superintendent Nick Cummins for winning the Iowa Golf Course Superintendents Association Superintendent of the Year award in January.

Andy Karr can be contacted at 792-3121 ext. 434 or via e-mail at akarr@newtondailynews.com.