It’s a bittersweet time for outgoing Moberly city manager Brian Crane, who will be leaving the Magic City next month to become city administrator in his hometown of Jefferson City.
The Helias graduate choked-up, when speaking to 939 the Eagle on Friday afternoon at the Moberly fire station.
“Leaving Moberly that’s been so good to us and my family has just been really hard. And it’s something that we’re going to always remember. And, you know, Jeff City is my hometown but my little boys, Moberly, this is their hometown. And it’s going to be tough for them, but Jefferson City is a great community, Moberly is a great community. And we have just been really blessed to be in both,” Crane says.
Mr. Crane will begin his new job in late September. Jefferson City Mayor Ron Fitzwater says the city conducted a nationwide search for a permanent city administrator. 39 people applied for the position.
Moberly’s city manager also has high praise for northern Missouri U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio), who represents Randolph County on Capitol Hill. Mr. Crane briefed Congressman Graves and audience members, during a Friday meeting with city and county officials, first responders and residents.
“So open. His staff has been so open. And it’s just great to have the ability to tell them what our needs are, what we’re working on and what’s going to be best for our community in the future and have the collaboration of working with the representative. That’s so important not only to our (Missouri’s sixth congressional) district but to our nation,” says Crane.
Mr. Crane tells 939 the Eagle that he would like to see some federal dollars for Moberly’s aging General Omar Bradley airport, which was built in the 1940s. He says while the city has made a number of airport improvements, there are still millions of dollars in improvements that need to be done:
“Luckily we’ve had a lot of success getting grants and leveraging local funds to really try to do some great things out there. Extend the runway, upgrade the lighting, bring sewer to the building. Just some really good things for our community,” says Crane.
In 1940, Moberly resident Marion Hulen went before Mayor Tom Tydings and the council, requesting support for the airport. Congressman Graves tells 939 the Eagle he hopes to obtain some federal funding for the Moberly airport’s needs.
