After three months and two separate rounds of candidate interviews, the City of Ellsworth finally has a new city administrator.

An employment contract with Dustin Stambaugh of Walsenburg, Colo., was approved during a special meeting of the Ellsworth City Council July 19 at city hall.

“I’m really excited,” Stambaugh said in a July 20 telephone interview with the Independent-Reporter.

Stambaugh said he has a personal connection with Kansas. His greatgrandfather was born in Brookville, while another relative was born in Oakley.

Stambaugh, who most recently was city administrator of Walsenburg, a city of 3,000 plus residents, about the same size as Ellsworth, said he had the choice of being the city administrator for three communities in Kansas, including Ellsworth.

He chose Ellsworth.

“Ellsworth was the best out of all three,” Stambaugh said.

Stambaugh said his job, which he begins Aug. 22, is to help Ellsworth get to where it wants to go. To do so, the 10-year veteran of the United States Army plans to use his leadership, personal and educational knowledge and skills to the fullest degree possible.

“I just want to contribute back to the community,” he said. “The payoff is seeing others — the council, the city employees, the residents and the community succeed.”

Mayor Dan Finnegan said after not finding a candidate during the original search, which started in May, the council had to regroup and start over.

“We’re very excited,” he said. “We feel fortunate and grateful the process is over.”

Finnegan said Stambaugh became available in early June, just as the council was running out of options. He was one of four candidates interviewed by the council July 6.

“I think we got the right person,” Finnegan said.

I really felt good about the pool of candidates this second go around,” said John Deardoff, interim city administrator. “We interviewed four solid candidates. It came down to the right fit and level of Dustin’s experience.”

“I think his resume looked pretty good, and his military service and education were pluses,” said Wayne Scritchfield, council president. “And the fact that he has some experience in a town our size.”

While he wasn’t at the interview and has yet to meet Stambaugh personally, Scritchfield said the rest of the council thought he interviewed well.

“He seems very conscientious about helping Ellsworth achieve what we want to achieve,” Scritchfield added.

Dollars and cents

Stambaugh was hired at a salary of $95,000 per year. He will also receive a $5,000 relocation allowance, and monthly allowances for a car and phone. Vacation and sick leave will be earned as other city employees. Stambaugh is required to reside in the City of Ellsworth within six months of his start date.

Background

Stambaugh and his wife, Ele, have three children — Van, Dominic and Vincent. Currently, Vincent is living with them and will attend Ellsworth Junior-Senior High School as soon as the family relocates to Ellsworth.

In 2014, Stambaugh earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Maryland Global Campus in Adelphi, Md. In 2020, he earned a

In 2020, he earned a master’s degree in public administration from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Public Administration degree from California Baptist University in Riverside, Calif. He anticipates graduating in 2024.

In addition to being the city administrator for the City of Walsenburg from 2021-22, Stambaugh was a senior calibration technician for Tektronix in Littleton, Colo., in 2020; served as department manager of NovaStar Solutions from 2017- 20 in Livonia, Mich.; and was a program manager at various locations while serving in the U.S. Army from 2007-17.