Jackson Board of Aldermen hire new city administrator

JACKSON, Mo. (KBSI) – Jackson city leaders announced the hiring of a new city administrator.

The City of Jackson Board of Aldermen formally approved Matthew Winters to the city administrator position at its closed session on Monday, August 5.

Winters will serve as the city administrator after the retirement of Jackson’s current city administrator.

Current Jackson City Administrator James Roach has servedin that position for 23 years. Prior to his appointment as the city administrator, he served as the city’s public works director.

In March, the Jackson Board of Aldermen engaged GovHR USA/MGT Consulting to assist them in conducting a national search for Roach’s replacement.

A search was done over the summer which resulted in more than 40 applications for the Jackson City Administrator position from people across the United States.

A search committee, consisting of Jackson Mayor Dwain Hahs, Alderwoman Katy Liley, Alderman Mike Seabaugh, former Mayor and Alderman Paul Sander and the City’s Human Resources Director, J.J. Wiseman worked with the recruiting firm and screened the applications. The top candidates were invited to Jackson to interview for the position with the search committee.

After the initial interviews, Winters was invited to come back to Jackson to interview with the full Board of Aldermen.

Winters has extensive experience in municipal administration and planning. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Southeast Missouri State University. Winters is currently the city manager of Poplar Bluff, a position he has held since 2020. Prior to that, he served as the city planner in Poplar Bluff. He also served as the associate director of the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission headquartered in Poplar Bluff.

“I am honored and excited to join the City of Jackson’s team and be a part of this vibrant and growing community. I am eager to get to know our new neighbors and find ways to continue to build up on the good work the Mayor, Board of Aldermen, and Jim Roach have done over the years. I believe the city has a great future and a dynamic team of departments to ensure its success,” said Winters. “My wife of 28 years, Becky, and I resided in Jackson from 1996 until 2000 when we relocated to Poplar Bluff. We are both graduates of Southeast Missouri State University and grew up in Southeast Missouri where our extended families still reside. We have two children and our baby Chloe (dachshund). Madelyn teaches third grade in Poplar Bluff and has a daughter, Elizabeth. Jackson has been working in the Missouri Senate for the last three years and has recently moved from Columbia, MO to Memphis, where he will be attending law school. We are very active in our community and are excited about new opportunities in Jackson!”

Winters is scheduled to start work in Jackson on September 23 Until then, Roach will continue in his current role as the city administrator.