Arnold city officials need to select an interim city administrator for the second time in just over a month, after David Bookless announced his impending resignation. Bookless had been named to that interim role after longtime City Administrator Bryan Richison resigned.
Richison’s last day was July 16, and he is now the city administrator for Platte City.
Bookless’ last day at Arnold will be Friday.
On Thursday, City Council members are expected to vote on whether to appoint finance director Bill Lehmann as the next interim city administrator. The council meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 2101 Jeffco Blvd.
If Lehmann’s appointment is approved, he will take over the role Bookless has held since July 17. Before being named the interim, Bookless was the city’s Community Development director and assistant city administrator, and he had been covering duties for both the city administrator and community development director roles.
Bookless said he is leaving Arnold to take a job as deputy city manager of community vitality for Webster Groves, where he previously worked. He begins his new job on Monday, Aug. 25, according to an Aug. 13 statement from the city of Webster Groves.
Arnold city officials continue searching for a candidate to fill the city administrator job.
Bookless previously said he had applied for the Arnold city administrator job but has since withdrawn his application, Arnold Mayor Bill Moritz said.
Moritz said he was surprised to learn on Aug. 7 that Bookless decided to leave Arnold.
“He put in his two weeks’ notice, and he wouldn’t tell us where he was going,” Moritz said. “I guess he was waiting for Webster Groves to make the announcement.”
Lehmann
Lehmann, 64, of Oakville has been Arnold’s finance director since March 2018. If he is named the interim city administrator, the city will pay him a $134,091.73 annual salary. His salary as finance director is $129,091.
Bookless was being paid a $144,633 annual salary as the Arnold interim city administrator and community development director. His salary as the community development director and assistant city administrator was $139,122.
Webster Groves will pay Bookless, 58, of St. Charles a $145,000 annual salary, said Marie Peoples, the city manager there.
If the council selects Lehmann as the next interim city administrator, he will start that job on Aug. 25, according to council documents.
Before coming to Arnold, Lehmann was the finance director for Sunset Hills for two years. He also worked for Robert Half Management Resources from 2014 to 2016; Joseph C. Sansone Co. from 2012 to 2014; Cassidy Turley from 2007 to 2012; Jordan Lawrence from 1996 to 2006; and Southpointe Credit Union from 1993 to 1996.
“Bill will make a fine interim,” Moritz said. “I was trying to keep this away from him until we got the budget passed. That will happen Thursday night. I wanted him to concentrate and get through that process. After the budget is passed, he will have more time to do this (serve as interim city administrator).”
Bookless
Bookless had been Arnold’s community development director since October 2018, and he was named the assistant city administrator in September 2023.
Before coming to Arnold, Bookless was the community development director for Collinsville, Ill., and he worked six years as planning and economic development director for Bridgeton. He also has worked as a planner for Maryland Heights, Webster Groves and Chesterfield, as well as a transportation planner for the East-West Gateway Council of Governments.
“It has been a number of years since I was there,” Bookless said of Webster Groves. “It is a community I didn’t quite grow up in, but I spent a lot of time there. It was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.
“There were no issues with the city of Arnold. I would be happy to continue to serve here alongside so many dedicated and passionate people,” he said. “I am grateful for the opportunity and experience that I have had here. It is just time to move on to different things.”
Moritz said Bookless will be missed.
“I think he has been pretty successful as the community development director,” Moritz said. “He has done a very good job for the city. Every time I have called him to ask a question, he has had an answer or got right back to me.
“I never had an issue with David. I like him personally. I wish him well. I wish he would have considered staying on because I think he was a good candidate for the administrator job.”
Next steps
Moritz said Arnold has received 14 resumes for people seeking the city administrator position.
He said officials have spoken with two candidates so far about the position, and Arnold plans to continue to advertise for the job.
“We will put out another ad and see if we can’t get more applicants,” Moritz said. “We didn’t get enough resumes this first go around, going through the Missouri Municipal League. I don’t think we cast a big enough net. We have rewritten our ad, and we will put it out more nationwide.”
Lehmann said he does not plan to seek the full-time city administrator position and is part of the hiring committee. He said he will return to his role as finance director after Arnold hires a city administrator.
Moritz said the city will not hire an interim finance director and will rely on Ann Holtmann, the assistant finance director; Veronica Jones, accounts payable coordinator; and Jennifer Roth, who oversees human resources, benefits and payroll, to run the finance department with help from Lehmann.
“I will be doing some element of double duty, but I don’t know what the mix will be,” he said. “Obviously of the two, the city administrator duties have to be satisfied first. If I have available other time, I will help out with the finance element.”
Moritz said senior planner Sarah Turner will serve as the interim community development director, adding that city officials will begin looking for a permanent community development director soon.
“I think (Turner) has a lot of experience, and this will be a great line item for her resume, but I have a feeling she needs more time before doing that duty full time,” he said. “I hope to start looking for a new community development director this week.”
Moritz said searching for a new city administrator and community development director at the same time will be challenging.
“I feel this is going to be one of the biggest challenges I am going to face,” he said. “We will try to fill in for two capable people (Richison and Bookless) leaving our city. It does come as a bit of a blow.”