Michelle Stimatze will be the director of the Geary County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

The CVB Advisory Committee approved her hiring on Wednesday by a 7-0 vote.

Stimatze served as the convention and visitor’s bureau director when the organization was part of the consolidated chamber of commerce. But effective this week, the CVB is back under country control so the position had to be advertised. Stimatze went through the application and hiring process for the post and was hired.

Under the new bylaws County Commissioner Keith Ascher, as a representative from the county governing body chairs the CVB Committee. “Our HR Director posted this nationwide.” Ascher stated, “When we got a pool of candidates, which wasn’t terribly large, but he narrowed it down to two. So then on the 19th of December we interviewed two applicants.” Ascher added it was a pretty unanimous sentiment by the interview committee, it was the knowledge and experience possessed by Stimatze, that stood out.

Under the new CVB bylaws a representative from the county commission will chair the CVB Committee but only vote in the event of ties.

There will be no recommendation forwarded to the County Commission on the hiring, explained Ascher. “Actually no, what the County Commission will do is set the salary. ” Ascher stated they approved a pay range at the recommendation of the HR Director, Jon Thummel. “Now it will be up to him to negotiate a salary with her, and then the County Commission will approve or disapprove that.”

Michelle Stimatze is the spouse of one of the county commissioners, Charles Stimatze. To avoid a potential conflict of interest Ascher said Charles Stimatze has agreed to abstain from the vote or anything of that nature moving forward with the CVB, leaving it up to the other two commissioners ( Ascher and Ben Bennett ). The CVB Committee will be in charge of hiring, evaluation or termination of any director.