When you call Matt Murphy with a question about city business, you’ll have to specify which city you mean. Last month, the City of Kewaunee approved a five-year agreement with the City of Algoma to share administrative personnel, making Murphy the city administrator and Jamie Jackson the deputy clerk/treasurer for both communities. Murphy says Kewaunee Mayor Jeff Vollenweider proposed the idea as the city went through several staffing changes and both communities looked for ways to cut costs. The move is expected to save the City of Kewaunee approximately $400,000 and provide residents with services at city hall five days a week in the near future. The agreement requires Murphy and Jackson to split their time between Algoma and Kewaunee. Murphy believes it will be a great move for both cities and could serve as a model for other communities facing similar challenges.

At the same meeting where they approved the intergovernmental agreement, the City of Kewaunee hired Patty Schreiber as its new clerk/treasurer. Both communities are in the early stages of significant projects, with Algoma beginning construction of a new fire station and Kewaunee looking at modernizing its marina.