Fort Smith deputy city administrator Jeff Dingman is one of five finalist being considered to take over the top spot as city manager in Topeka, Kansas.
Other finalists include interim Topeka city manager Doug Gerber, who previously served as assistant city manager of Salina, current Salina city manager Jason Gage, David Hales, city manager since 2008 for Bloomington, Illinois., and Brent Trout, city administrator since 2007 for Mason City, Iowa.
Topeka’s city government on Friday morning released the names of finalists for the city manager’s job, which Gerber has filled on an interim basis since city manager Jim Colson resigned last October to return to his home in Arizona.
The city of Topeka indicated in a news release Friday that Dingman has more 20 years of local government experience. Before taking his current position in Fort Smith, he was city administrator from 2003 to 2011 for Baldwin City; assistant county administrator for Sebastian County, Ark.; and administrative aide to the city manager for University Park, Texas.
Dingman has a law degree and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Baker University.
When interviewed in 2013 for the “Engagement Government Leaders” website, Dingman described local government in Arkansas as “passionate, politicized and values-based”.
When asked if he could “FaceTime with five people (dead or alive and not including family members),” Dingman said the list would consist of Steven Spielberg, Steve Wozniak, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford and Lou Gehrig.
Fort Smith had a 2010 population of 86,209, compared to 127,692 for Topeka, according to the U.S. Census.
The candidates are expected to be in Topeka to be interviewed by the city’s governing body on July 21 and 22.
