Late last year, the Wright City Board of Aldermen took the step of establishing a new leadership position, the city administrator, to manage the daily tasks of running city government.Jim Schuchmann, a former alderman hired in 2017 by the city as a special project manager, was appointed to the role of city administrator Jan. 1, with an annual salary of $90,000.“We’re looking for some more day-to-day administrative leadership,” said Wright City Mayor Dan Rowden. “(Schuchmann) has proven himself, to me and to the board, of his work ethic and his knowledge of our city and our operations. I believe he will be an excellent leader.”The city administrator is defined as the chief administrative assistant to the mayor, tasked with general control over the city government offices and employees. The city administrator reports to, and is accountable to, the mayor and board of aldermen.Notably, however, the board of aldermen has retained sole authority to hire and fire employees.Rowden said the decision to create the city administrator role was spurred by changes coming to the city in the future.“A couple of our lead people in the city are looking at retiring in the future, and we want to plan that out and prepare for that properly. By having (Schuchmann) in that office as the city administrator, it will give us a greater capability to do that,” Rowden said.Schuchmann came into the administrator’s office with 10 years’ experience on the Wright City Board of Aldermen, serving from 2006 to 2016. He also spent about 20 months as the city’s special project manager starting in May 2017, primarily overseeing renovation of the building that is now the new city hall.Schuchmann’s professional resume includes 35 years as a home builder, experience he said will help Wright City navigate the challenges of growth and new development.“We’re a growing community. A lot of the biggest issues have always come from development of subdivisions, building structures, planning for streets and roads,” Schuchmann said. “I’ve seen too many times where a community will do a road project where they expand to three lanes, and within a year of finishing it they’re tearing it out to add a fourth lane.“You’ve got to look forward a little bit and plan, make sure we’ve got things in line and that we’re ready to grow.”Schuchmann explained the role of city administrator as being the coordinator for various departments within the city, such as police, public works, and finance. The administrator also will be a close adviser for the board of aldermen and mayor, providing information and guidance, especially when new elected officials enter office.In the immediate future, Schuchmann will continue some tasks he has already been performing. Having completed the new city hall, Schuchmann is charged with renovating the city’s former offices as an expanded space for the Wright City Police Department. He also will take a leading role in the city’s interactions with new businesses and developers.For the longtime home builder, city management and construction are alike in that the future is always uncertain. It’s something Schuchmann is accustomed to, but never quite comfortable.“If you don’t wake up nervous every day, then you’ve become lax,” he commented. “Uncertainty is a given. It’s going to happen. Let’s make it work.”

Jim Schuchmann