Festus officials have hired a new Public Works director – Matt Unrein, a former Arnold city administrator.
Unrein, 46, is filling the vacancy at Festus after Matt Clemens left the job in June to accept a position with the government of Sarasota County, Fla.
Unrein takes over as the Festus Public Works director on Sept. 14 and will be paid $84,500 a year, Festus City Administrator Greg Camp said.
Clemens’ final annual salary at Festus was $78,000.
Unrein was the Arnold city administrator from 2006 to 2012.
Since 2013, he has worked for the city of Ferguson, as its Public Works director/assistant city administrator/parks director.
He was being paid $97,000 in that job.
Camp said he and other Festus city administrative staff members were part of a committee that selected Unrein from 14 applicants for the job.
“Matt’s credentials are impeccable,” Camp said. “He’s been in local government in Missouri for some time. He lives in Crystal City. His knowing Jefferson County is a benefit.”
Unrein said he’s happy he won’t have to continue making the long commute from southern Jefferson County to Ferguson.
“I consider Festus-Crystal City to be my hometown since I’ve lived there about seven years,” he said. “This is an opportunity to work in my community.”
Unrein said he looks forward to assuming his new duties in Festus.
“I’m very anxious to get started,” he said. “I’ve got a lot to learn.”
Festus leaders decided to reconfigure Clemens’ position after he left. Clemens had served as both the Public Works director and building official, but that job has now been split into separate positions.
Festus city officials previously promoted Mark Harris from building department foreman to fill the building official job, which is now named building and planning director.
Harris is being paid $28.38 an hour, or $59,030 annually based on a 40-hour week. As the building department foreman, he was earning $25.50 an hour, or a $53,040 annual salary.
In addition to Arnold and Ferguson, Unrein previously worked in municipal positions for the cities of Maryville and Independence. He has three children.