The City Council is starting the process of searching for a new City Manager to replace the departing Ed Sadler. There will be many steps in the process, and it will require patience for both the council and the community. We hope the community will give the council time to get the process right and pick the right candidate to get the job done. We hope that as they perform their due diligence they will keep the following goals in mind:

During Sadler’s tenure, the city has not shied away from making investments in bringing new business and opportunities into the community. Though not all of those investments have been successful, we hope that they will continue to push forward to make Webster City a great place to live and work.

• Management and involvement in providing the communities electric utilities continues to be an important role for the city manager. While looking for a replacement for Sadler, the council must make sure that the new city manager has the necessary expertise to continue to help manage not only the city’s costs, but keep utility rates under control for the community.

There are challenges ahead for the city, and cooperation between the council and the city manager will be critical. We hope that whoever the city decides to hire for the position, that there will be a productive, cooperative and respectful relationship between both parties. Webster City deserves nothing less.

We wish both Sadler and the City Council the best of success for the challenges to come.