Springfield Public Works official to take administrative helm in Republic

The city of Republic has tapped a Springfield city official to serve as its next city administrator.

Colten Harris, superintendent of streets in Springfield’s Public Works Department, is scheduled to begin Dec. 8 in the Republic role.

Harris succeeds David Cameron, who was selected as Springfield’s new city manager in May and began in his new role in July. Republic Chief of Staff Lisa Addington was announced as acting city manager in May.

Harris brings more than 14 years of municipal experience to the role. As superintendent of streets, he oversees 10 work groups and 130 employees while administering a $16 million operational budget and managing a portfolio that includes pavement management, emergency response, snow and ice operations, drainage and right-of-way infrastructure, according to a news release from the city of Republic. He also played a key role in achieving APWA Public Works Accreditation and delivering multiyear capital improvement initiatives.

Harris was a recipient of Springfield Business Journal’s 2024 40 Under 40 and 2025 Men of the Year awards.

In his Men of the Year profile, published in April, Harris recounted that he earned his commercial driver’s license the previous year and used it to take a shift plowing snow in the city.

“I strive to keep a pulse on the real work our division does, making sure I do not lose touch and sight of who truly accomplishes the mission of serving our community, which is our dedicated construction crews,” Harris said at the time.

The announcement states that Harris not only manages complex operations but has been recognized for driving culture change through introducing key performance indicators, increasing employee retention and creating pathways for internal promotion. He has also been a public-facing leader, coordinating with media, local stakeholders and interdepartmental teams to ensure transparency and trust, it states.

“Our city is growing quickly, and we’ve set a standard for doing things the right way while keeping our community at the heart of every decision,” said Republic Mayor Eric Franklin in the announcement. “We believe Colten is the right leader to continue that work and to help us plan boldly for the future.”

The release quotes Harris as saying he was drawn to Republic by its growth and its forward-thinking government.

“Beyond the community’s bright future, it is also an incredible opportunity to join such a talented and devoted workforce and executive team,” he said. “I believe in servant leadership, and I look forward to working alongside city council, city staff and residents to continue building a strong, vibrant community.”

Among Harris’ professional recognition is being named Missouri Society of Professional Engineers’ Young Engineer of the Year. He also serves on the APWA Missouri Chapter Executive Committee and co-founded Springfield’s Engineers Without Borders chapter.

According to past SBJ reporting, Harris earned a civil engineering degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla before joining Springfield’s Public Works Department in 2013. He rose to the superintendent of streets role in 2021.

Harris earned his master’s in engineering management from University of Arkansas and has his professional engineering license. He is also a certified public works professional.

As Harris’ predecessor, Cameron said he was excited for him and for the city of Republic.

“He’s well-loved in the city of Springfield; it’s a big loss, but instead of losing somebody from our region, it’s great to see that he’s going to get the opportunity to step into that role,” Cameron told SBJ in an interview this morning. “Being an engineer, he’s so well suited for it.”

He added that he takes a special interest in seeing someone take over the role he held for nine years.

“I’ve done nothing but offer my support and congratulations,” Cameron said. “Having historical knowledge of Republic helps – he has a resource right across the road, and there’s a lot of work that can be done collectively.”