Shawano officials Monday named Edwin “Eddie” Sheppard to head the city’s Department of Public Works, effective Oct. 15.
Sheppard has been the assistant public works director in Derby, Kan., for three years and was in Derby’s Finance Department for two years before that.
He is originally from Fond du Lac and went to school in La Crosse before going to graduate school at the University of Kansas, but he is no stranger to Shawano.
Sheppard said he had been camping in the Shawano area since his college days.
He and his girlfriend were in Shawano on Friday — along with two other finalists for the job — for a final round of interviews, tour of the city and meet-and-greet with city officials and department heads.
Sheppard said they were very excited by their tour around town.
“It’s the kind of vibrant community we really want to live in,” he said.
Sheppard said he was excited about the opportunity to work here and happy to have been chosen from among some very qualified candidates.
“He’ll be a good fit,” City Administrator Brian Knapp said. “We’re looking forward to having him on board.”
Sheppard, whose official title here will be assistant city administrator/public works coordinator, will get a salary of $80,000. He will replace Rick Stautz, who retired in April. Stautz’s salary was $83,449 when he retired.
Mary Nordin is serving as interim public works director at $50 an hour.
Knapp said public works will be the primary focus of the job, but the new title more accurately reflects the working relationship between the city administrator’s office and public works.
The Common Council on Monday voted unanimously in favor of Sheppard from three finalists.
Knapp said the final choice “came down to personality,” and the fact that Sheppard has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in public administration. The other two finalists were working toward a master’s degree, he said.
Sheppard also has a minor in recreation management.
The public works director is responsible for administering a $6.6 million operating budget and supervising all of the department’s activities and programs. Those include engineering, streets and transportation, storm water, the water and sanitary sewer utility, solid waste and recycling collection, and the landfill.
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