MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown City Manager Jeff Mikorski will begin a new position in Verona, Wisconsin in late August.
WAJR news learned Thursday night Mikorski was resigning for a city administrator position there which according to Jim Ferolie, editor of the Verona Press, is similar to the position Mikorski has in Morgantown.
“It’s pretty much the same thing. (Mikorski) will be running the city at the pleasure of the city council,” Ferolie explained.
Mikorski said in a statement, “I have enjoyed working for the City and will miss the City employees, volunteers on our boards and the City residents.”
Verona is a town of approximately 11,000 people. Morgantown’s population is nearly three times larger. Like Morgantown, Verona’s largest employer is in the health industry and while it’s not in city limits, the University of Wisconsin and Verona are both in the Dane County metro area.
Ferolie described the town as a “nice suburban community.”
“He’s coming into a pretty good situation. This is a place where it’s kind of a very desirable spot. City council has gone through some turmoil in the past, but they’re running pretty smoothly,” the writer said.
According to Ferolie, Mikorski told the Verona Press there had been “political turmoil” in Morgantown in recent months. “Political winds change,” Mikorski told the paper. “Some of that political turmoil was the reason I started looking for other positions.”
Mikorski’s final day on the job in Morgantown is August 19. He was an assistant city manager for several years before being named city manager in 2013.
His position in Wisconsin begins August 29.
Morgantown Mayor Marti Shamberger is a scheduled guest on Morgantown AM Monday at 9:20. She is expected to discuss next steps for council to find a replacement city manager.