Updated with expanded information about each candidate.
FERGUSON, Mo., Oct. 26 - The Ferguson City Council has selected three candidates as finalists in its search for a new City Manager. The three candidates were introduced on October 26 during a special Meet & Greet Forum that was held at the Ferguson Community Center. The forum was facilitated by GovHR USA, the executive recruitment firm retained by the Council to assist in the City’s search for a new City Manager.
GovHR received 40 applications for the position. That field was narrowed down to six who were interviewed this past weekend. Out of that group, the following individuals were selected as finalists:
Sara Imhulse - Sara Imhulse serves as Town Administrator for the Town of Riverdale Park, Maryland, managing the Town’s day-to-day operations. Before taking over management of the Washington, DC suburb, Imhulse served as Assistant to the City Manager for the City of College Park, a neighboring municipality in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Imhulse began her fifteen-year public-sector career in Milford, Ohio serving as Assistant to the City Manager.
Imhulse’s work for Riverdale Park includes: successfully navigating the Riverdale Park Station
project, which increased the tax base and created 200,000 square feet of commercial space to
include the first Whole Foods Market in all of Prince George’s County, 120 town homes, and a
total of more than 950 units of housing; managing $2 million in capital projects; issuing Tax
Increment Financing (TIF) bonds for a major infrastructure project associated with the Riverdale
Park Station project; restructuring long-term debt to take advantage of lower interest rates;
assisting in the planning process for over 30 community events; and centralizing, streamlining,
and modernizing government operations. During her tenure at College Park, Imhulse worked
closely with State, County, and Federal officials reviewing legislation and policy to ensure that
residents and businesses were well-represented at all levels of government, advised the City
Council on bond structuring for a public parking garage, and prepared the annual Capital
Improvement Program (CIP) budget. While at Milford, Ohio, Imhulse established a stormwater
utility and its associated fee structure to address an unfunded Federal mandate that required
the separation of combined-sewer overflow (CSO) systems, managed a comprehensive volume-
based garbage and recycling program, and developed a Hazard Mitigation Plan to address
flooding concerns. In the past 10 years, Imhulse has secured over $2 million in grant funding.
Imhulse attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, where she earned her bachelor’s
degree in African history and served as a Bonner Scholar, a scholarship program that teaches
servant leadership through community service. Sara has a master’s degree in public
administration from Northern Kentucky University.
Michael Rogers - City of Peoria Public Works Director Mike Rogers is dedicated to improving the quality of life of the City’s residents through best management practices, collaboration and providing the highest levels of customer service to businesses, residents and visitors alike. Rogers oversees seven divisions of the Public Works Department: City Engineering, Streets & Sewers, Facilities, Traffic Engineering & Operations, Fleet, Urban Forestry and Administration which includes the management of Solid Waste. Improving communication with the public is one of Rogers’ goals and he believes it is imperative for municipal governments to build trust within the community.
As Director, he has transformed the philosophy of Public Works by working with the community
to develop future plans for sustainability and strategic planning for building and maintaining the
City’s infrastructure. By providing this high level of customer service, he has changed the
relationship with the City residents by providing regular public meetings and incorporating many
suggestions from the community at large.
Mike Rogers is currently working with the DOJ/EPA on a close to a quarter billion dollar
combined sewer outflow project by developing a 100% green infrastructure solution that will not
only correct the outflow problems, but will provide co-benefits to the community such as work
force development and neighborhood economic development opportunities.
Prior to joining the City of Peoria, Mr. Rogers was Assistant Director of Public Works for San
Antonio, Texas where he collaborated with the local transit agency to develop the City’s first BRT system (Bus Rapid Transit) that reduced travel times for riders by 30%. Previous to that position he served as Director of Roads, Wayne County, Michigan where his innovative practices led to millions of dollars of savings to the taxpayers. His experience includes 24 years in City, County and State government as well as a business owner that has been influential in economic development, capital infrastructure planning & implementation and many other aspects of public service. In addition, Rogers is very active in his community coaching basketball, football and mentoring youth in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. Currently, Rogers serves on various boards in the Peoria region including: The Salvation Army; Tri-County Urban league; Kiwanis SW Peoria; Bradley University Civil and Construction Engineering; PPUATS (metropolitan planning organization), I-CAT Operations and American Public Works Association (APWA) State Chapter.
Originally from Michigan, Mike Rogers has an MS in Civil Engineering from Michigan State
University; a BS Construction Engineering degree from Lawrence Technological University; and a fellowship from the County Leadership institute, New York University’s Graduate School of Public Services. Mike Rogers is married and has four children.
De’Carlon Seewood - De’Carlon E. Seewood has over 18 years of progressive experience in municipal government. He is a Credentialed Manager recognized by the International City County Managers Association. Mr. Seewood has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Missouri, Columbia.
As a Municipal Manager, Mr. Seewood is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations
of all municipal departments, and managing personnel to ensure consistency in both direction
and operation. As a Municipal Manager, he also provides policy recommendations to the
elected body and implements adopted legislation, carrying out the policy direction of the
electorate throughout the municipality. He also prepares and presents the annual budget and
the capital improvement program for consideration to ensure the execution of the budget as
authorized by the elected body.
Mr. Seewood began his municipal career in Osage Beach, MO in 1996 as a Municipal Intern. In
the City of Fulton, Missouri he served as the Assistant to the Director of Administration from
1997 to 2001. While in Fulton he was involved with many local initiatives serving on the
Callaway County Health Advisory Board, the Callaway County Transportation Council, Callaway
County United Way Board and Fulton Family Resource Center Executive Board. Working with
the assistance of a citizen group he helped to establish the Fulton Family Resource Center; this
group was formed to assist in improving social services within the community. Utilizing
Community Development Block Grant dollars; he was able to remove several derelict homes,
rehab several homes and create infill housing.
From 2001 to 2007 he served as the Assistant City Manager for the City of Ferguson, Missouri. While serving in Ferguson he was a member of the Lion’s Club, the Employee United Way
Committee, Lambert Airport Joint Redevelopment Commission and North Area Telecommunication Association. Working with the business community, Mr. Seewood helped
develop the down town redevelopment plan, establish a street scape plan, farmers market and
down town TIF. Working with the Ferguson Neighborhood Improvement Program, he
rehabbed homes and worked to support neighborhood improvements.
As the City Manager, for the City of Berkeley, Missouri from 2007 to 2009, Mr. Seewood
worked to reestablish the financial integrity of the community. He was able to reduce a 2
million dollar deficit in the General Fund to a 2.5 million dollar surplus within 2 years. He
worked on the development of North Park, which has brought tremendous development to
North County.
In 2009 he began his current position as the Village Manager, for the Village of Richton Park,
Illinois. In Richton Park he managed the community through the toughest part of the
recession. Communicated Villages’ financial difficulties to employee groups, citizen groups and
elected officials. He successfully negotiated a Walmart Supercenter which broke ground in the
summer of 2015. He also concluded an agreement for the development of a 12 acre parcel
which will include both residential and commercial development.