Recently, the Duncan Banner reported that the Duncan City Council voted to hire on a new city manager on Tuesday evening. With that announcement, Guymon has been caught by surprise.
According to the Banner, the Duncan City Council voted to hire Guymon's current city manager Kim Meek, to begin as their city manager on Aug. 29. She will take over from Duncan's interim city manager and police chief Danny Ford, and will receive $130,000 a year in the position.
Meek worked as Guymon's City Clerk and Finance Director before taking the position as City Manager. Before coming to Guymon, she served as the Director of Finance in Poteau, and as a staff accountant for Pioneer Communications.
Contact with the city's attorney, David Petty, indicated on Wednesday morning that he had not yet been made aware that Meek had been chosen for the City Manager position in Duncan. As such, Petty could not make comment on the matter.
A closed door meeting is taking place at this time, and no information. An official statement has not been released.
By contract, IBTS will not handle the city manager's position.
Mayor Kim Peterson says he learned of the news this morning as well. As the matter addresses an individual's employment, much of it must remain confidential, by law.
"She has evidently taken other employment, and of course when you take jobs like that, it's pretty well… confidential," Peterson said. "As far as the city council and myself, we wish her well in her future endeavors."
The Guymon Daily Herald will share further updates as they become available.