Poplar Bluff council selects Massingham as city manager

Daily American Republic

The Poplar Bluff City Council voted unanimously Monday to hire Mark Massingham as its city manager. Massingham has worked for the city for almost 25 years, most recently as assistant city manager. He has served as interim city manager since Heath Kaplan was fired in May. Massingham also served as interim city manager for three months after the May 2014 firing of Doug Bagby. Massingham will receive a salary of $120,000 annually, according to a one-year contract approved by the council. This is similar to Bagby’s and almost $40,000 less than the salary for Kaplan. The council did not feel it was necessary to seek applications for the position, based on the work Massingham has done. Massingham will receive a city-paid cellphone and continue to be enrolled in the Missouri government employees retirement system under his new contract. He will not receive the $5,000 car allowance given to Kaplan, or the $8,000 provided toward a retirement plan.