The Festus City Council has named a new city clerk – Leah Smith, who had been working as the executive assistant for Jefferson County Executive Dennis Gannon.
Smith’s first day in her new job with Festus was Dec. 29, and she is training under Kerry Patek, who is retiring March 1, after working for the city for 41 years, the last 20 as city clerk.
Patek’s annual salary is $70,450, and Festus will pay Smith $60,320 a year. She was being paid a $51,000 annual salary in her job with the county.
Festus City Administrator Greg Camp said Smith was chosen for the city clerk job from among 23 candidates.
“There was a committee that consisted of myself, Kerry Patek, Mayor (Sam) Richards and Councilman Bobby Venz,” Camp said. “I’m just really excited about hiring Leah and having her on board. The good part is she gets to work with Kerry until March 1.”
He said Smith’s work experience and expertise with technology helped her stand out from the crowd of applicants.
‘It helps that Leah has been working as an assistant with the county executive, Dennis Gannon, but her skill set she brought and her credentials really impressed the committee,” Camp said. “She’s very tech savvy. A lot of the newer technology the county has introduced, at least for the executive and County Council, Leah helped initiate.”
Smith, 37, said she feels comfortable with her new duties at Festus City Hall.
“Honestly, it’s a great mix of everything I’ve already done, plus a good mix of new things I’m learning,” she said. “I was a big part in the county’s transition to digital documents, agendas, management system. I have a lot of experience in agenda-building and running council meetings.”
A Herculaneum High School graduate, Smith has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Fontbonne University in St. Louis and is pursuing a master’s degree in business from Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis County.
She worked for Jefferson County government for almost 10 years and before that she worked for First Community Credit Union for two years.
Smith and her husband, Matthew, 36, live in Festus with their two sons.
“I’m proud to work in my town. It’s closer to home,” she said. “Also, Festus is growing rapidly, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Smith said she appreciates the opportunity to work with Patek as she prepares to retire.
“Kerry has done such a great job,” Smith said. “I’m learning a lot from her.”