For a man who started his work career mowing the lawn at Emporia City Hall, Paola City Manager Jay Weiland has come a long way. He credits former Emporia City Manager, Virgil Basgill for motivating him to seek a career in city government. Weiland followed his advice, got his degree and began working his way up. He first was a city manager in Hesston in 1987, moved to Charles City, Iowa in 1995, then to Sterling, Kansas in 1998.
According to the Miami County Republic, when he heard about an opening in Paola 12 years ago, he and his wife visited the city and immediately loved it.
He has worked on some big projects since being in Paola, including the construction of a new fire station, renovation of City Hall and others. The impact he has had on the city will be long remembered and in his retirement letter to the city council, he said you want to leave your thumbprint on a community, not your footprint or handprint…and he feels he has done that in Paola.
