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City Clerk Anita Cotter administers the oath of office this morning to new city manager Jason Gage.
SBJ PHOTO BY WES HAMILTON
City Clerk Anita Cotter administers the oath of office this morning to new city manager Jason Gage.

Jason Gage sworn in as city manager

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The 13th city manager in Springfield history is officially on the job.

Jason Gage, who served the past 13 years as city manager in Salina, Kansas, was sworn in this morning in the lobby of the Busch Municipal Building, 840 Boonville Ave. He succeeds Greg Burris, who served 10 years in the role before stepping down June 30.

Gage, who also had worked in city manager positions in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and De Soto, southwest of St. Louis, was selected June 1 to the Springfield post, beating out Wayne Pyle of West Valley City, Utah, for the job.

“This is a great honor for me,” Gage said at this morning’s swearing-in ceremony. “I’m very excited about this opportunity. I’m excited about this community.”

Gage said he was thankful to Mayor Ken McClure and City Council for entrusting him with the position. He also expressed appreciation to all the city employees able to attend the event, along with those out working in the community to keep it safe and vibrant.

In his introduction of Gage, McClure said City Council was blessed to have a strong pool of applicants for the city manager position, which he added spoke well for Springfield.

“Jason Gage rose to the top of that very strong pool,” he said.

The new city manager is no stranger to southwest Missouri, as he was born in Lamar. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin and a master’s degree in public administration at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Gage said he looks forward to the work ahead in the community.

“I want to give a lot of thanks to the city administration and to the former city manager, Greg Burris, for creating an upward slope of progress,” he said. “I hope I will be able to take us where the City Council and community wishes for us to go.”

Gage is holding a public meet-and-greet with members of the city’s leadership team 4-6 p.m. Aug. 22 at Mediacom Ice Park, 635 E. Trafficway St.

At its July 16 meeting, City Council approved the employment agreement with Gage, who will earn $220,000 per year, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

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