Assistant City Administrator Jason Tomanek has been named acting City Administrator by the Bismarck City Commission.
Tomanek begins serving in the role on January 2, coinciding with the final day of employment from Keith Hunke, who concluded a career with the City of Bismarck that stretched back to the early 1980s. Hunke was named City Administrator in 2016, rising through the ranks in Public Works as a part-time laborer, and eventually serving as the Service Operations Director from 1998 to 2006.
“Keith’s story is a wonderful one,” said Tomanek. “It isn’t often you see someone dedicate 40-plus years to an organization. And when you do, you know it is because there was a good match. Our city loses a lot with Keith’s retirement, but hopefully, the lessons he has taught all of us through his patience and level approach can continue to serve as a benefit for the community, long after today.”
The search for the City’s next Administrator was put on hold earlier this month due to a conflict with the ordinances and the job description that had been shared as part of the search for the new administrator. Presently, there is not an expected timeline for when the City Administrator search will resume, and the position will be filled.
“There is something special about being able to work in this capacity for your hometown,” said Tomanek. “I’m looking forward to holding down the fort as the City of Bismarck transitions to its new City Administrator. There’s a lot of work to be done between now and then, but we’ll get there.”
Tomanek began his career with the City of Bismarck in 2006, with the Community Development Department, serving as a Planner. In 2016 he was named Assistant City Administrator.