Jacob Meshke, current deputy city manager for the City of Brookings, South Dakota, has been named the next city manager for the City of Indianola following the adoption and approval of an employment agreement on Monday, April 21, at the Indianola City Council’s regular meeting.

Meshke will begin his new role May 28.

“We are very excited to welcome Jacob Meshke to our community,” Indianola Mayor Steve Richardson said. “He brings a strong track record of leadership, having managed larger budgets and teams in a bigger city, and his expertise in economic development has led to the successful completion of several major projects. Additionally, as a college town, we value our relationship with Simpson College, and Jacob has already expressed his commitment to strengthening that vital partnership. We’re confident that Jacob will be a tremendous asset to our community as we work together to move Indianola forward and continue building a community for all citizens.”

Meshke has been the deputy city manager for the City of Brookings, South Dakota, since 2019. Prior to that, he served as the assistant village administrator in Bayside, Wisconsin, for three years after moving back from Arizona, where he completed of his master’s degree in public administration at Arizona State University.

“I want to thank the Mayor and Council for their trust and support in selecting me to be Indianola’s city manager,” Meshke said. “I am incredibly excited, humbled and grateful to join and serve the community. I look forward to working alongside City leaders, staff, community partners and residents to build on the great work already underway and to help shape Indianola’s future together.”

The city manager manages the day-to-day operations of the City and ensures that policies declared by the Mayor and Indianola City Council are fulfilled. In Indianola, this top leadership position is responsible for:

Preparing the annual budget.
Applying the ordinances set by the Council.
Hiring personnel.
Recommending policies or programs to the Council.
Keeping the Council fully advised of the financial and other conditions of the City.
Providing the Council with information to aid in decision-making.

MGT, an executive recruitment and management consulting firm that specializes in local government, assisted the City of Indianola in the city manager recruitment process. Meshke takes over for Benjamin Reeves, who resigned last December to become the city manager for Eagle Mountain City, Utah.

Information about a public meet-and-greet opportunity with Meshke will be announced in a future news release as details are finalized.

*the information above was a City of Indianola Press Release