MUSCATINE, Iowa – It was a combination of personality and goals that led the Muscatine City Council to choose Gregg Mandsager, 39, as the new city administrator.

“We’re very happy that we have reached a decision and have hired a new city administrator,” Mayor Dick O’Brien said Monday. “He appears to be a very bright, intelligent young man and I’m sure we’re going to do very well.”

Mandsager hails from Lebanon, N.H., a town of 13,000 people, where he is the city manager. He will be paid $115,000. His predecessr, A.J. Johnson, who left in June after 19 years to become city manager in Urbandale, was paid $109,786.

Public Works director Randy Hill, who has been serving as interim city administrator, said Mandsager stood out from the other candidates with his personality and previous connection to Iowa.

“He was just easy to visit with, I think,” Hill said. “Generally we just seem to like him.”

Steve Boka, director of planning, zoning and building safety for Muscatine, said he’s happy to add Mandsager to the city.

“He enjoys Muscatine. He wanted to move back to Iowa and raise his family,” Boka said.

Mandsager said he is excited to return to the Midwest. During the next month, he said he would read and review issues on the city agenda.

“There’s a lot of phone calls, e-mails and work ahead,” Mandsager said from his home in New Hampshire on Monday. “I’ll be back in November to do some house hunting.”

In the meantime, Mandsager said he’s happy to have the position.

Hill said one big issue he’ll be faced with is budget discussions, which begin early next year.

“That kind of initial acquaintance is probably as good as it can be for introducing someone to the community,” Hill said. “That is the nuts and bolts; that is how the city is run.”

Human resources director Stephanie Romagnoli said his communication with others was an important part of his hiring.

“He seems to have a real desire to communicate with the public and interact with citizens on a regular basis,” Romagnoli said. “That was discussed in his interviews and it seems

to be one of his priorities.”

Hill said his age, while young, is not a precedent for Muscatine, as former city administrators were also in their mid to late-30s.

“It is my opinion that it’s in the city’s best interest to hire a younger person to do this,” Hill said. “There is a considerable transition in people retiring at the top level of the city. It is advantageous for the community to have a younger person overseeing this.”

Mandsager and his wife, Anna, and their children Taylor, 14; Michael, 12; Caitlin, 10; and Ryan, 6, are looking forward to returning to the Midwest.

Mandsager attended college at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, followed by a city manger position in West Burlington.

“We’re excited and anxious to be back,” he said.

Mandsager will start his new position no later than Nov. 30. He said his family will arrive in Muscatine in mid-December.

At A Glance

Gregg Mandsager

Born a “Navy brat” in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Currently is city manager in Lebanon, N.H., a town of 13,000 people at night that doubles in size by day, with Dartmouth College across the Connecticut River in Hanover, N.H.

Has an associate’s degree from Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge,  a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and a law degree  from Drake University.

His first city position was as an administrative assistant to the mayor in Fort Dodge for two years, followed by a position as a city manager in West Burlington for five years. He’s been in New Hampshire for the past four years.