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Tonganoxie Assistant City Administrator Kathy Bard taking leave of absence

By Elvyn Jones - | Dec 29, 2011

Estuardo Garcia

Mike Yanez was to clear his desk Friday at City Hall with the expiration of his contract as city administrator, but at the conclusion of Thursday’s Tonganoxie City Council meeting it appeared as if Yanez may stay in the position at least into the spring.

Yanez met with the council Thursday in the last of a series of executive sessions on non-elected personnel.

After two earlier executive sessions, Assistant City Administrator Kathy Bard announced she would be taking a leave of absence.

“I’ve been diagnosed with an illness,” Bard said at the council meeting. “I will not be able to continue with my position here.”

Bard was to act as interim city administrator during the search for a new administrator but with her illness it appeared as if the council would turn to Yanez to stay in the position, at least for now.

Mayor Jason Ward said he couldn’t comment on that possibility. He said the matter would be resolved at a special meeting set for 6 p.m. Jan 4, during which the city administrator search would be discussed. Yanez would be at the meeting, Ward said.

The council also promoted Mary Conway city clerk, a position Bard also held, from her positions as municipal court clerk.

In August, the council voted not to extend Yanez’s contract past its Dec. 31 expiration. Earlier this month, the council voted to contract with Art Davis Group Inc. of Lee’s Summit to lead the city administrator search for $11,000.

Tonight the council voted to cap Davis’ expenses at $4,000 and agreed Davis would be meet with council members Jan. 4 to find out what they want in the next city administrator.

Davis’ proposal to the city included a schedule that would have the new city administrator on the job April 1. Council members said Monday that Davis had started working on the search.