Mt. Pleasant Building and Zoning Administrator resigns

MT. PLEASANT — Mt. Pleasant City Council accepted the resignation of City Building and Zoning Administrator Jack Swarm at its last council meeting, Wednesday, April 10.

Swarm has held the position of Building and Zoning Administrator for 10 years, and while he will admit that this position was not a lifelong dream for him, it certainly became one he grew to appreciate. With Swarm’s appreciation for his years serving Mt. Pleasant in this role, members of the city council also expressed their gratitude for the way he filled this position.

According to Swarm, he began his successful career with the city as a way to make life better for his family.

“I was working construction, my back hurt and we were kind of poor,” Swarm said. “I thought, man, I got to do something a little bit different with my life.”

Swarm told about a time he was working on a job site and a man with a dog walked up.

“He was just wandering around like he owned the place and I learned that was the inspector,” Swarm said. “I didn’t know what an inspector was until that day and I thought whatever he is, and however he got that, that’s what I got to do.”

So, he did.

“I started reading and studying, and honestly, I think as God would have it, I got a job working in my own town,” Swarm said. “And it changed my life.”

According to Swarm, as he took on his role with the City of Mt. Pleasant, he says he discovered a passion not only for inspecting, but for cities and how they function.

As Swarm addressed the council in the midst of his resignation, he thanked them, the councilmen that came before them, and the citizens of Mt. Pleasant for the opportunity to serve as the City Building and Zoning Administrator for the last 10 years.

Likewise, Mayor Pro Tem Steve Engberg thanked Swarm for the role he planned in making Mt. Pleasant a great city.

“As a testament for the work you’ve done, somebody the other day that didn’t know Mt. Pleasant asked where the worst area of Mt. Pleasant was,” Engberg said. “I said we try to keep it that there isn’t a worst area of Mt. Pleasant. … You’ve done a great job of finding the bad houses and getting rid of them and putting new ones up. It’s been awesome.”

“Thank you for your work and congratulations on your new adventure,” Engberg told Swarm.

As Swarm officially bid farewell to his position and the council, he told them that the decision was not an easy one. He claimed the decision was solidly a 51-49 lean.

“I’m torn, honestly,” Swarm told the council. “I’m torn to leave. I love my job and I love working here for you and for the city, but I’ve got a new job that will help me and my family and so that’s what I’m going to do.”

According to Swarm he will be taking a position in Burlington where he will do similar work. While he will work in another town, he has no plans of leaving Mt. Pleasant.

“I will be living right here probably until I die unless God tells me to go somewhere else,” Swarm said. “I love Mt. Pleasant. My family’s here and I have absolutely no plans of going anywhere.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com