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Olathe City Manager Michael Wilkes tells council he plans to retire early next year
Summary
After a 15-minute executive session, Mayor John Bacon told the council City Manager Michael Wilkes advised he intends to retire early next year. Councilmembers praised Wilkes' 27 years of leadership and noted he will remain an Olathe resident.
After an executive session on July 1, Mayor John Bacon announced that City Manager Michael Wilkes informed the council he plans to retire early next year.
Mayor John Bacon, speaking after the executive session, credited Wilkes with leading the city through substantial growth and change: "Michael led us through immense community growth and dramatic change," Bacon said, and later told Wilkes, "Thank you for giving us the 27 years." The mayor noted Wilkes is the longest-serving city manager in Olathe's 168‑year history and cited growth the city experienced during Wilkes’ tenure, from under 90,000 residents to more than 150,000.
Wilkes acknowledged the remarks in brief comments after the reconvening: "Thank you very much," he said on the council dais.
The council had recessed into executive session earlier in the meeting on a motion citing KSA 75-4319(b)(1) to discuss nonelective personnel matters regarding the city manager; that motion passed on a recorded roll call vote of 7-0. The mayor said the open meeting would resume at approximately 8:21 p.m., after a roughly 15‑minute executive session.
Councilmembers offered public congratulations and tribute in the meeting’s closing minutes, describing Wilkes as transformational and praising the staff he built. The mayor and council said Wilkes and his spouse Holly plan to remain in Olathe.
Ending: Council members said they will have opportunities to recognize Wilkes further in coming months and will work with him and staff on transition planning; the meeting record shows no further personnel action was taken during the July 1 session.
