WASHINGTON, Ill. – Lilija Stevens took over as Washington’s new mayor from long-time mayor Gary Manier last week.
Manier held the position for over two decades.
Stevens says she has appointed an interim city administrator, Dennis Carr, to head day-to-day city hall business, while the city council searches for a permanent city administrator.
Stevens tells 25 News, she’s also working on implementing a goal-setting session for the council.
“That is a process where we will involve the community and where the council will set priorities,” Stevens says. “We need to decide what the council wants, what direction the council would like to go in.”
Stevens says the Washington community has been a great support during her first week in office.
“The community has stepped up, and the department heads and staff have been fabulous,” Stevens says. “For a community that’s had one mayor for 24 years, it is a tough transition, and so far, everything has gone well.”
Washington’s new mayor also says she has made sure city council members have access to the meeting agenda items during the entire week leading up to their meetings.
Stevens hopes to update the city website, making it a hub for communication between city leaders and residents.
Stevens is the first-ever woman mayor of Washington.
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