Jeremy  Frazier was selected by the Fort Scott City Commission in a unanimous vote to become the next city manager in January 2021.

He replaces Dave Martin, who retired in October 2020.

Frazier will bring new vision and ideas to the city, according to a January 21 Fort Scott City Commission press release.

Jeremy Frazier To Begin As Fort Scott City Manager on Feb. 1

“Jeremy brings to this position over a decade of public sector experience,” according to the press release.

Frazier has managed cities of various size towns of from 1,800 people to his most recent in El Reno, Oklahoma, population approximately 20,000 people, according to the release.

“I chose to pursue city management as a career because after graduating from college and landing a position with a great company, I found myself financially secure but unfulfilled and lacking passion within my organization.”

“So I put serious thought into what I enjoy, how I could serve others, and how I could create lasting changes in the lives of others. I knew that I felt a calling to public service but was unsure as to how best to execute it. After all, I knew very few public servants at the time.”

“Fortunately, I met some great public servants through the Oklahoma Municipal League such as Missy Dean and the City Management Association of Oklahoma which include Tim Rundel, Eric Benson, Jason Orr, and many others.”

“While the opportunity that I desired did not materialize immediately, I stayed close to the industry and received encouragement from various industry professionals for which I had great respect and admiration.”

“Finally,  a few years later, I was offered an opportunity to serve in a small community of 1,800. There the city manager felt it important that I learn every position and task from code enforcement to billing and collections and public works. At the time I did not appreciate these lessons as I thought I was hired to be more of an administrator, in my mind.”

“In hindsight, this was the best learning experience that I could have ever asked for and I’ve been hooked on public service every since, building upon my knowledge and skills with each community that I’ve served.”

“Now I look forward to bringing my passion for public service, skills, and knowledge to serve the community and residents of Fort Scott.”

“I have served as a board of trustees appointee to a local university, worked closely with local volunteer organizations to perform community projects, served as a member of local civic organizations such as Toastmaster’s International and the Lions Club, and was active with local government organizations such as the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), Oklahoma Municipal League (OML) and the City Management Association of Oklahoma (CMAO).”

“I hope to be active in similar organizations in the state of Kansas. I might also find interest in local home building or restoration non-profits such as Habitat for Humanity and others.”