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Traxler was the first; who will be the next?At a time when Janesville must look ahead to finding a new city manager, a look back offers perspectives on the position and the men who have served in Janesville’s top administrative post.The era of the city manager council form of government dawned in Janesville on April 4,1922.Voters here chose manager-council government over the mayor-aldermen form on that dayby a vote of 3,098 to 2,387 Janesville was the second city in Wisconsin to adopt the new form of government. When the first city, Kenosha, returned to a mayoral form, Janesville was left as the oldest city in the state with a managerial form of governmentHenry Traxler moved from a similar post in Clarinda, Iowa, to become Janesville’s first citymanager on Sept 15, 1923 His tenure was long he retired in 1951-and he became highly re spected for bringing continuity to and weeding petty politics out of city governmentWhen Traxler retired, former city engineer Joseph Lustig was appointed acting city manager until Warren C. Hyde was hired on Sept. 1, 1951 Selected from 36 candidates, Hyde was paid $10,000annually, $000 more than Trax ier’s top salary.Hyde returned to Minnesota in 1955, and Lustig again filled in as acting city manager this timefor 44 months until George Forster, former mayor of Madison was hired to manage Janesville's municipal affairsForster made the entryway at City Hall a revolving door re signing 34 months later to become city manager of UesMoines, Iowa.The city council again turned to the durable Lustig, and after a long search, the council gave him the Job permanently on May 1, 1957 Lustig retired in February 1987 after 53 years of service to the city in one capacity or anotherA Janesville native, Karl Samek, was chosen acting city manager the month after Lustig re tired He was re appointed acting manager on Sept 1, 1967, and was selected permanent manager three weeks laterSamek held the post untilspring of 1970 when he resigned to become assistant city manag er finance director in the firstmajor reorganization of city government since the managerial form was establishedThe reorganization rekindledopposition to the council manager setup, and opponents succeeded in having the question placed on the ballot The electorate in this referendum, however, gave the managerial form a 2-1 vote ofconfidenceA Californian, Robert Hailey, took the manager’s reins on Jan 15, 1971, but resigned under pres sure on Halloween 1975 Samek stepped back in as acting city manager until Philip Deaton as sumeo the post in March 1978leaton came here from RedA'mg, MinnDeaton annouix Hi Monday lie is resigning to belt; orrie city rnari ager of Olathe, Kan a job thathe is to start by Oct 1The city council must decide how to fill the manager’s positionand will discuss the matter at astudy session Thursday
Newspaper Details
Janesville Gazette
Janesville, Wisconsin, US
Tue, Aug 26, 1986
Page 101
Full Page
Clipped by
Hedberg P.
Wisconsin, USA 08 Nov 2022
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