SAVANNAH, Mo. — A city administrator from Cass County will replace Savannah’s longtime clerk/administrator, Janice Hatcher.

By a unanimous vote of the Savannah council on Sept. 22, the city hired Michael J. Fisher, 60, administrator for Drexel, Mo. Mr. Fisher will take the job full-time starting Oct. 27, but he plans to spend each Thursday and Friday in Savannah during October. He wants to become better acquainted with Savannah’s infrastructure. Mr. Fisher and Mrs. Hatcher will share the job until Dec. 17, when she retires.

“I’m excited to be here because Savannah is a city with lots of potential,” Mr. Fisher said.

Mr. Fisher has experience with annexation issues, successful grant writing and water/sewer management issues. A pleasant surprise was finding the new water plant, he said. It’s a testimony to the dedication of city government and the citizens, Mr. Fisher said.

Mr. Fisher plans to look at more grant opportunities to stretch the city’s tax dollars.

“If you don’t ask, you don’t even get the answer no,” he said.

The new administrator wants to study the possibility of wind-generated electricity for Savannah.

“This is a subject we will study and discuss in the years to come,” he said.

In addition to his experience as a city administrator for Drexel, Mr. Fisher was the administrator for Peculiar, Mo., between 2001 and 2006. For 10 years before that, Mr. Fisher was the owner of Michael & Associates, a consulting company that provided management and financial services and also worked on affordable housing projects. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a graduate of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale with a master’s degree in community development.

Mrs. Hatcher has been with Savannah as the city clerk since 1972. She became city administrator and clerk six years ago.

Marshall White can be reached

at marshall@npgco.com.