ALDERMEN APPROVE BY A 5-1 VOTE
DJ Gehrt has kind of a ‘Hotel California’ relationship with the City of Platte City. He can check out, but he can never leave.
At least that’s the way it seems, as he’s back again. And city officials, who have several major projects on their plate, say they look forward to his influence again at City Hall.
At a meeting Tuesday night, the Platte City Board of Aldermen approved a contract with Gehrt to bring him on as interim city administrator. The move was approved on a 5-1 vote by aldermen, with Vicki Atkins dissenting. Atkins made no public comment in regard to her opposition.
The move comes as a result of Tom Cole, city administrator for seven months, announcing he is leaving the city at the end of March for a private entrepreneurial venture.
Gehrt served the city as city administrator for approximately 12 years prior to ‘retiring’ in 2023. He was replaced by assistant city administrator Marji Gehr.
After Marji Gehr was fired after about eight months on the job, DJ Gehrt returned in the spring of 2024 to serve as interim. When the city made its choice of Cole as permanent administrator effective late last summer, Gehrt then strolled back into ‘retirement’ life.
And now, he’s back. Again.
He’ll start on Thursday, March 20, which means he’ll have about 10 days serving with Cole still on board.
Mayor Steve Hoeger said he is grateful Gehrt has agreed to return to assist the city.
“We have so much big stuff going on. We have a major sewer plant project ahead of us, the widening of Hwy. 92 east of I-29, we’re considering outsourcing our trash service, we’ll be working on a parks assessment, there is a planning study for downtown,” Hoeger said, though his list could go on. “DJ’s influence in starting to address all those things will be instrumental,” the mayor said.
In addition, the city will need to begin a search for the next city administrator, and Gehrt will assist in that process, the mayor indicated.
Cole, in a staff report to aldermen, described Gehrt as “willing to serve in this capacity and has the requisite skills and institutional knowledge to continue advancing the city.”
Cole’s report to aldermen says the fiscal impact of Gehrt’s hiring as interim “is minimal and within budget as Mr. Gehrt’s hourly rate will be capped at 40 hours per week, does not include benefits and will be less than the compensation of the full time city administrator.”
The contract calls for Gehrt to be compensated at $70 per hour at a maximum compensation of 40 hours per work week. No other benefits shall be provided. No overtime, compensatory time or paid time off shall be provided to Gehrt.
