Fort Smith hires new deputy city administrator

Jeff Dingman, who served as the assistant Sebastian County administrator between 1993-2000, will soon return to the area as Fort Smith’s deputy city administrator.

Dingman, now serving as the city administrator in Baldwin City, Kan., (pop. 3,400), was approved 7-0 for the position by the Fort Smith Board of Directors during their Tuesday (April 19) board meeting.

He is slated to begin the job on June 6, and will have a starting salary of $94,000.

In early March, Gosack and the city’s six department heads began a nationwide search that resulted in 97 applicants. Only one internal candidate applied.

The city’s human resources staff narrowed the applicants down to about 25 who met the minimum requirements. The six department heads then narrowed the group to six applicants. Telephone interviews were conducted with the six, after which Gosack and the department heads narrowed the list to three, Gosack explained.

Gosack said Tuesday it was the “unanimous consensus” of the group to hire Dingman, adding that Dingman has a very “analytical” approach to decision making that impressed the group.

Dingman graduated from Eudora High School in Eudora, Kan., and in 1994 earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Baker University. He graduated in 1998 with a master’s in public administration from the University of Kansas.

He served as a management intern in 1996-1997 with the city of Bonner Springs, Kan., and between May 1997-June 1999 was an aide to the city manager of University Park, Texas. Between June 1999 and July 2003, he worked as the assistant county administrator for Sebastian County Judge David Hudson. He left that job for the city administrator post in Baldwin City. Dingman’s salary in Baldwin City, which has a budget of $13.9 million, is $84,700.

While working for Sebastian County, Dingman married Van Buren native Janel. They have three daughters, ages 12, 7 and 4.

“Jeff, his wife, and three daughters, have a connection to this region,” Gosack told the board.

After the board vote, Gosack said he and Dingman will sit down and work out roles and responsibilities, including identifying the departments Dingman will oversee. Also, one of Dingman’s first projects will be to renegotiate franchise rate agreements with AT&T and Cox Communications, Gosack said.

Dingman said Tuesday he has kept up with the city, especially the major wastewater improvements and other large capital projects.

“Those are the kinds of things that I’m looking forward to working on,” Dingman said, adding that he also looks forward to getting involved “in the dynamic of a much larger organization.”