St. Joseph's next city manager

After a nationwide search, St. Joseph has found it's new City Manager

Through a challenging time.

<<kq2's madeline mcclain reportingafter spending more than $26,000 on a nationwide search, st.

Joseph found its new city manager more than 900 miles south of town in aransas-pass, texas.

Gary edwards beat out 36 candidates for the job.gary edwards, next city manager: city's are service oriented organizations making sure we are doing an excellent job of providing those services to customers, to citizens."when edwards starts on nov.

9, he will be helming a city that's dealing with a budget strangled by the pandemic-ravaged economy.

Of financial distress due to the 2019 floods.but this isn't his first city manager position.

Or disaster he has to rebuild from.gary edwards, next city manager: "i accepted this position in aransas-pass, texas right on the gulf coast two weeks before hurricane harvey."as the new city manager, he had to reconstruct aransas-pass's fund balance.

Gary edwards, next city manager: "when i got there we were in the low single digits.

What's acceptable in a city is 20-25% that's minimum usually."

The budget approved last week was up to 40 percent.he worked in city management for sedalia and moberly, missouri, and in arizona.before that, he worked for missouri congressman ike skelton.it's there that he learned how to lead and manage people.gary edwards, next city manager: "he pointed out that, 'you know gary, see the guys on the floor of the house there in washington, the loud ones don't get much accomplished.

The ones who work quietly behind the scenes without taking credit they're the ones that actually get things done and i've tried to follow that philosophy and it works."with less than 3 weeks before his start date -- edwards says he plans to hit the ground running.the first 30 days he plans to fill with meeting people, staff, department heads, the council and mayor.

Getting a feel for the city, it's needs and its challenges.gary edwards, next city manager: "if i don't have challenges i don't do well.

Looking forward to the white knuckled excitement of the challenges of managing the city of st.

Joseph."reporting in st.

Joseph, madeline mcclain, kq2 news.>> edwards first day will be november 9.

The city says his annual salary will be $160,000.

He will replace bruce woody, who in may took a job in florida after being city manager in st.

Joseph for nearly nine years.