Pomeranz will start as Cedar Rapids city manager on Sept. 20

CEDAR RAPIDS - Jeff Pomeranz's first day on the job as Cedar Rapids' new city manager will be Monday, Sept. 20, he said Friday.

Pomeranz, who was formally hired Tuesday by the Cedar Rapids City Council with high praise and a unanimous vote, said his current employer, the West Des Moines City Council, will officially approve his letter of resignation there on Monday evening.

Pomeranz said he and West Des Moines City Council members met this week and reached an accord that will allow him to leave on Sept. 17 and not require him to give six months notice as his current contract stipulates.

Sept. 10 will actually be Pomeranz's last day at work as West Des Moines city manager. His final week on the payroll there will be vacation time before he begins work for the city of Cedar Rapids, he said.

West Des Moines Mayor Steven Gaer has said Cedar Rapids is getting one of the best city managers in the nation.

The Cedar Rapids council had penciled in a start date of Sept. 7 for Pomeranz, but Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett on Friday said a start date of Sept. 20 is fine.

“We knew it was going to be after Labor Day, and this fits the timeline,” Corbett said.