What the City of La Crosse can learn – from a City Administrator

Following an in-depth discussion on Monday about the City of La Crosse Working Group’s exploration of a City Administrator position, WIZM host Vicki Markussen invited Rick Niemeier to join La Crosse Talk.

Niemeier, who has served as City Administrator for Onalaska for the past 18 months, provided insights into the role and its impact on municipal operations.

Niemeier explained that the City Administrator position can be tailored to fit each municipality’s specific needs, as no two cities operate in the same way.

However, the primary objective remains consistent: to oversee daily operations, allowing the mayor to focus on broader policy and leadership responsibilities. The administrator role typically includes ensuring policy compliance, addressing employee matters, managing city services, and resolving operational challenges.

He emphasized the importance of a strong working relationship with the mayor, as the two must collaborate on significant citywide issues.

La Crosse Talk airs weekdays at 6-8 a.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk PM wherever you get your podcasts.

As Onalaska’s City Administrator, Niemeier reports directly to the full City Council, which sets his goals and can remove him with a two-thirds vote if he fails to fulfill his responsibilities.

He also noted that without a City Administrator, it would be far more challenging to drive efficiency improvements within city operations—improvements that he knows are occurring but are often difficult to quantify.

A La Crosse native and graduate of Onalaska Luther High School, Niemeier spent many years serving Trempealeau County, including as Head of Children’s Services and later as Trempealeau County Corporate Counsel, before assuming his role in Onalaska in September 2023.