Doug Maxeiner selected as Davenport city administrator, council to vote later this month

Former Moline and East Moline city administrator Doug Maxeiner was announced Tuesday as Davenport's pick for the next city administrator. The City Council is set to vote on Maxeiner's appointment and a three-year contract at its Sept. 25 meeting.

Those items will also appear for public discussion on Wednesday's agenda. "We are excited to welcome Doug Maxeiner to City Hall," Davenport Mayor Mike Matson said in an emailed news release. "We are confident in his vision for the future of Davenport and look forward to working with him to build on the City's positive momentum.



" Douglas Maxeiner, former city administrator of East Moline, and a finalist for the Davenport city administrator position, talks with attendees during a public reception on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at the Figge Art Museum. On Tuesday, Davenport announced Maxeiner as the next city administrator.

Maxeiner has 32 years of local government management experience. Most recently, he led East Moline as city administrator from 2019 until his retirement in 2023 and before that in Moline from 2017 to 2019. He also led four other cities in Illinois.

Under the on the council's agenda this cycle, Maxeiner would start Oct. 28 and be paid a base salary of $220,000. The contract would last for three years with an option to renew annually.

Maxeiner's selection follows a months-long recruitment process to replace former city administrator Corri Spiegel, who left the city with a $1.6 million settlement after she alleged she experienced harassment at the hands of elected officials. The City Council approved this spring hiring an executive search firm, Colin Baenziger & Associates, which was recommended by a special committee made up of four aldermen and seven Davenport residents.

The search firm fielded 40 applicants, which were narrowed to 10 semi-finalists. The special committee narrowed the candidate pool to five finalists who then participated in a public reception and panel interview process. The other four finalists were Robert Cowell, former city manager of Roanoke, Virginia; George Koczwara, village manager of Orland Park, Illinois; Jamie Miller, city manager of Paris, Kentucky; and Robert Sivick, county administrator for Whitfield County, Georgia.

The finalists participated in five interview panels, including with city council, staff leadership, union leaders and community stakeholders. The special committee received feedback and recommended the top three candidates to Matson. Matson said Tuesday he then discussed the top three candidates with the entire city council during a closed session meeting.

Matson then selected Maxeiner. Asked if there was a consensus, Matson said: "Between the panels, the special committee, and all the councils, there was a difference of opinions on pros and cons of all those candidates," Matson said. "We eventually got to a consensus.

" Matson's selection of Maxeiner needs confirmation by a two-thirds vote of the entire membership of the city council. "The three that went on for the final evaluation — 10 to five to three — three wonderful candidates. I would have been happy with all three.

But through an in-depth, evaluation, interview process, discussion, Mr. Maxeiner is going to be our new city administrator, and I'm very happy," Matson said. "Would I have been happy with the others? Probably.

But this is how it ended up and what I'm so proud of is the process and the amount of people that were involved." At-Large Ald. Jazmin Newton called the selection of Maxeiner "wonderful news.

" "I think he would make a great addition to our city," Newton said. Newton added that she was impressed with Maxeiner's experience and commitment to uniting Davenport after its challenges. She praised development in the Bend areas of East Moline under Maxeiner's tenure and said his knowledge of the Quad-Cities area puts him in a unique position to better Davenport.

Third Ward Ald. Marion Meginnis said she's happy to be moving forward and said she'll do anything to help support Maxeiner when he starts. Fourth Ward Ald.

Jade Burkholder echoed her colleagues' opinions. "I think he's what the city needs," Burkholder said. "He knows the area, he knows the trauma of the city.

He's willing to step up and take that role and listen to council concerns and direct the city in a positive way." Members of the special search committee were Steve Bartholomew, Ward 1 Ald. Rick Dunn, At-Large Ald.

Kyle Gripp, Kelli Grubbs, Mo Hyder, Ward 7 Ald. Mhisho Lynch, Ward 3 Ald. Marion Meginnis, Kent Pilcher, Farrah Powell and Michelle Russell.

The new Fairmount Community Center, near the Fairmount Library in Davenport, is complete. The City held a ribbon cutting for the community center on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2024.

It features a half-court gym, activity space, and kitchenette. Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024.

Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024.

Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024.

Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024. The annual firework show 2024 Red White and Boom is seen from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday.

Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024. Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024.

Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, Sept. 7. Fireworks from the 2024 Red White and Boom, photographed from the Rock Island side of the Mississippi River on Saturday, September 7, 2024.

Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Bettendorf, East Moline, and Silvis Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items..