City Administrator

City Administrator Position

The City of Delavan, Wisconsin, is seeking a proven municipal leader for this progressive community that has seen a lot of growth in the past five years.

Delavan has a bustling historic downtown with a brick street, two lakes (Lake Comus and Lake Delavan), business parks, and it is a regional market center. It is home to the Wisconsin School for the Deaf as well as the historic Lake Lawn Resort. The City prides itself on being a great place to live, work, play, learn, and visit as well as providing high-quality municipal services. It combines a small-town quality of life with the amenities of larger metro areas nearby.

The mayor and six city council members are elected on a non-partisan basis for two-year terms, representing three aldermanic districts. The City had a General Fund operating budget of $10.5 million for 2025, which includes operation of a Library that is seeing a current renovation and expansion. There are separate Enterprise Funds with 2025 annual budgets totaling $5.7 million for Water, Sewer, Delbrook Golf Course, and Water Sports. The budget also includes Special Funds for Tourism, a Cemetery, and for Parks and Recreation, Library, Police, Fire, and Golf Course Fundraising, along with a Debt Service Fund, three TIDs, and Capital Projects. The city has 64 full-time and 98 part-time and seasonal employees, and includes a volunteer fire department. Future emphasis for the city administrator will be on Comprehensive Plan implementation; development of more residential and affordable housing options; continuation of business park development; City sustainability initiatives, and development of a Community Strategic Plan.

Requirements :

• Bachelor's Degree with coursework in Public Administration or related field
• Considerable experience in municipal management, or combination of education and experience
• Master's Degree preferred
• Evidence of progressive municipal management experience
• ICMA-CM credential is a plus
• Residency is encouraged

Desired :

The successful candidate will have a high level of both personal and professional integrity, have a collaborative style to carry out Council policies, show strong listening and communication skills, have experience working in a diverse and multi-cultural community, and will be a team-builder. The ability to navigate and inspire change and timely responsiveness to communications are essential.

The City will complete a selection process with a projected start date of January 15, 2026 for the new Administrator.