East Prairie hires new city manager

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — The City of East Prairie has announced the hiring of its new city manager.

Dennis Presley of Carterville, lll., expects to start his new duties as city manager on Oct. 1, according to a news release issued Friday by East Prairie Mayor Kevin Mainord.

Dennis received his bachelor’s degree in administration of justice with a minor in political science in 1987 from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill. He received his Master of Public Administration from SIU in 2002.

Dennis most recently served as project coordinator for the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine-Center for rural health and social service development in Carbondale. He also served as a grant coordinator for the Southern Illinois Healthcare-Community Benefits Department and as a regional planner for the Southeastern Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission in Harrisburg. He has also served as a patrol officer in the city of Hurst, Ill., and four years as sheriff of Williamson County, Illinois.