Flom named new De Pere city manager

DE PERE — De Pere has hired a replacement for its retiring city administrator, Lawrence Delo.

Its former development services director, Kimberly Flom, who will start in March 2025 with the title of city manager.

The De Pere Common Council unanimously approved Flom’s benefits package and starting salary of $198,000 per year.

Flom left De Pere in 2019 to take the position of assistant city manager of McKinney, Texas, a city with a population of about 214,000.

She served as De Pere’s director of development services for two years and director of economic development for two years. 

Flom will receive a month’s vacation, 30 days of sick leave and a $600 per month car allowance.

In addition, the city will pay $25,000 toward moving expenses.

Delo was slated to retire at the end of the year but agreed to stay on three days a week until March 20.

The common council also approved a prorated three-month contract extension for Delo at his current salary, which is $200,000 per year, plus an incentive bonus of $13,500.

He started in 2003 at a salary of $78,000, with three weeks of vacation and $5,000 for moving expenses. 

In other business, the board approved 3% annual pay hikes for elected officials effective in 2026 through 2029.

The salary for the mayor will be $28,558 in 2026; $29,415 in 2027; $30,297 in 2028; and $31,206 in 2029.

Alderpersons will earn $8,186 in 2026; $8,432 in 2027; $8,685 in 2028; and $8,946 in 2029. 

Jonathan Hansen cast the only nay vote, saying he felt a 2% increase was more appropriate.

In October, the board approved going from a mayor-council form of government to a city manager form of government.

It means that the mayor will no longer have veto power but will be a voting member of the common council, bringing the total number of voting members to nine.

In addition, the former two-year terms for mayor and alderpersons become three-year terms.

In the three-year election cycle, four alderpersons will be elected the first year and second year, and the mayor will be elected on the third year.

After the mayoral election, the council will elect a deputy mayor to preside over the board in instances of conflict or absence of the mayor.

In other business, the board approved a donation of $23,680 from De Pere Baseball to the city for improvements to baseball diamonds at Kelly Danen and Southwest parks.