MUSCATINE COUNTY, IOWA SCHOOL NEWS

Transcribed, as written, by Beverly Gerdts on June 24, 2019

Page 81

MERLE STRAUSE
(also spelled as Strouse)

    Merle Strause is currently the city manager of Rolla, Missouri and is married to the former Beverly Payne of Muscatine. They have 3 children, 2 girls and 1 boy. He plans on retiring later on this year. His plans are to lay back and enjoy retirement. Merle was the oldest of the Strause kids to go to Old Garfield.

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MERLE STROUSE

    I had put one biography in saying that he was going to retire at the end of the year and what does he do? He retires on April 30, 1997 and the City of Rolla Missouri bids him farewell.

Friends, colleagues take "shots" at retiring Strouse.

    It is not as though Merle Strouse has been left alone during to the city of Rolla as city administrator. No, if it is a quiet, low-profile and peaceful job you seek. Strouse would be the first to advise you against being a city administrator. He is getting prepared to begin a life that, hopefully, will be more relaxing as he begins his retirement at the end of this month. But his friends and colleagues were not about to let him bow out without first making sure they got their shots in. Last Saturday night, many of his friends gathered for a recognition and award dinner in his honor.

    Recognition and award dinner is a polite way of saying a retirement roast. For everyone who knows Strouse one can imagine the "short jokes", the "going-bald-or-already-there- jokes" and of course, the "Cracker Barrel-Buehler Park jokes" that rained down on the long time city administrator. City Council person Gladys Light, who is preparing to retire herself, said she and friends put their heads together to figure out some fitting way to honor Strouse for his over 10 years of service to Rolla. First, a statue was considered, Light said, but that idea was scrapped because the "glare off the bald head" would be distracting. They also considered naming a park in honor of Strouse and that notion sounded good. "We thought we could call it "Red Lobster", Light quipped. The idea eventually went by the wayside. Finally it dawned on her the perfect tribute. Light said she found a pothole on one of the streets of Rolla that is so big that a "Toyota car, two pedestrians and a really big dog" disappeared into it and have not been seen since. Light said that seemingly permanent piece of Rolla landscape could be designated as a monument of Strouse.

    Bill Stoltz, another roaster, jokingly chided Strouse about the pothole problems in Rolla and his brother, Bob Stoltz, tied a yellow ribbon around Strouse and said everyone needs a hug every once in while. "You go out to Buehler Park and stand and you'll get hugged now." Bob Stoltz said after the ribbon was around Strouse, referencing the "tree-huggers" and the yellow ribbons they've tied around trees at the park-soon-to-be-restaurant.

    Recalling the time when Strouse was hired by the city of Rolla former city council man Pat Doyen, now assistant director of youth services in Jefferson City, said he and other members in the city administrator search committee had some doubts about hiring Strouse because his first question was. "How much will the severance pay be?" "I remember when we hired him he was Merle the Pearl," Doyen said, "and, after a year, he was Strouse the Louse." But all joking aside, each of the roasters ended their fun presentations by wishing Strouse and his wife, Bev, the best of times as he steps down from a very demanding job that he has done well. "You've been great," Bill Stoltz told Strouse "You've been wonderful to work with over the years and Rolla has made a lot of progress." News radio correspondence Tom Colvin said, "Merle is a friend of the media." and Bob Stoltz said Strouse "always cared" about the city's well-being and he thanked him for being a part of the operation of the local government for so long. Ed Owsley, Rolla City Councilman and the master of ceremonies at the dinner, probably summed it up best when he said, "Merle's as good an administrator as this town has ever had."

    No roasting or recognition dinner, would be complete without letting the guest of honor have a chance for a comeback. "How times flies when you're having fun," Strouse said, a hint of sarcasm coming through his voice. He responded to the humor with a few snide remarks of his own and then he turned serious saying he has been privileged to work with good council members and "two excellent mayors" during his time in Rolla. Strouse also complimented the city department directors and the employees. "You've got a good group of people trying to do what's best for the city," Strouse added. "I've been fortunate to stay here for ten-and-a-half years."

    Strouse ended his remarks by discussing the person in the city operations who has been most important to his efforts as city administrator, his secretary, Jan Snavely. "It's been a great time," he said, casting a glace to Snavely. Strouse said when Michael Snavely was promoted to chief of police his wife, Jan, had to leave the police department where she was a secretary so she came to work for Strouse. "I think I got the better deal," the retiring administrator said.

    He received a standing ovation at the conclusion of his comments. Among the list of roasters last Saturday was Floyd Ferrell, Barb Bohley, Don Johnson, Judge John Wiggins, Richard Sheets, Bill and Bob Stoltz, Tom Colvin, Gladys Light and Pat Doyen. Also Jim Boll, a long time friends of the Strouse family came from Platteville, Wisconsin, where Strouse was an administrator, for the dinner.