The city of Arnold now has a permanent Community Development Department director.
Sarah Turner has been appointed to the position after serving in that role on an interim basis since August 2025.
“I’m very excited for all of the opportunities in this role,” said Turner, 30, of south St. Louis County. “I’m very excited to continue to serve the public in this capacity. I look forward to working with everybody from other staff members to the public.”
Turner was appointed as the interim director after David Bookless was named the interim city administrator in July 2025 following the departure of Bryan Richison, who left Arnold after 12 years to become the city administrator for Platte City.
Bookless, who had been the community development director since October 2018 and assistant city administrator since September 2023, also left Arnold in August 2025 to become the deputy city manager of community vitality for Webster Groves.
Bill Lehmann, Arnold’s finance director, served as the interim city administrator until Arnold hired Anthony Traxler to fill the position on Oct. 30, 2025.
Traxler said he appointed Turner as the permanent community development director on Dec. 29. Turner was paid $73,008 as the interim director, and her annual salary as director is $102,481.60, according to Arnold officials.
Bookless was paid $144,643.20 annually as the interim city administrator and his salary as the community development director was $139,122.
“Sarah is exceptionally intelligent and brings both short- and long-range planning experience to her work,” Traxler said. “During her time as acting community development director, it became clear to me and other city department heads that she was the strongest choice for the permanent position. She continues to affirm that decision through her performance each day.”
Traxler said 20 people applied for the community development director position, and Arnold officials interviewed Turner and two other candidates.
Mayor Bill Moritz said Turner proved she is capable of handling the director position during the four months she served as the interim director.
“She has a handle on a lot of things,” Moritz said. “We went out looking for people for this, and we never found anybody who was as qualified as she is. She has more than proven herself capable of handling that job. She has had personnel issues and some serious decisions she has had to make, and she has done a fine job.”
Turner started working for Arnold on Jan. 22, 2019, as a junior planner. Her starting salary was $41,683, city officials said.
She was promoted to senior planner in 2022.
Turner graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in December 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in geography with a minor in urban planning and politics.
She said it was difficult and stressful at times serving as the interim director and not knowing if she would move into the role permanently. However, she also said the four months as interim director helped her prepare to lead the department going forward.
She said Christie Hull-Bettale, who has been the city’s community development engineer and planner, retired Monday, Feb. 9. She said Bella Pope, a code enforcement officer, is assisting with planning duties.
The city has posted the job on its website, arnoldmo.org. The minimum listed starting salary is $62,975.
“We are willing to train, but qualified candidates may be placed in a senior planner role,” Turner said. “We are actively seeking a planner. There are a lot of changes, updates and the completion of a comprehensive plan. I’m very excited to find that perfect planner for Arnold.”
When a new planner is hired, Turner said, the department will have 11 employees, including her. When fully staffed, she said, the department has 13 employees, but she said the city will hold off on filling the final slot until the new planner is in the department for a while.
“This is a good opportunity to reassess what we need in the department,” Turner said. “We will test the waters as far as how many planners we need. Right now, we are essentially advertising to replace me as a planner and will assess our needs down the line.”
Turner said Community Development Department employees often have to tell people no for various things they want to do with property in the city. She said one of her goals is to provide a path to yes and excellent customer service.
“Sometimes we can fall into habits that are inefficient or even annoying and intrusive,” she said. “There are a lot of things that I am looking at with a fresh set of eyes and asking the question, ‘I know we have done it this way for a long time, but is there an easier or better way?’”
Arnold is still evaluating another department head position that is being filled on an interim basis.
The city has not had a permanent Public Works Department director since Judy Wagner stepped down from the position in January 2025. Wagner continues to work for Arnold on a part-time basis as a project engineer.
James Pogorzelski has been serving as the interim public works director since Wagner retired as a full-time employee.
“We are evaluating the department and the department’s needs,” Traxler said. “James is doing a great job right now, and Judy Wagner is still consulting with the city.”