Goodbye Lundt, Hello Mundt

Outgoing Assistant City Manager Sheila Lundt will be replaced with Melissa Mundt, an Ames High School and Iowa State University graduate, the city announced in a release late Monday.

Lundt is retiring after working for the city for more than 27 years. She started out as a budget officer and worked her way up becoming the assistant city manager in 2002.

“Sheila’s commitment and dedication to serving the residents of Ames will be missed,” said City Manager Steve Schainker, who has worked with Lundt for her entire career at the City. “It has been a tremendous pleasure working with Sheila for nearly three decades, and I encourage others to join me in wishing her well as she enjoys the next chapter of life.”

Lundt's retirement party will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday April 13 in the Community Center Gymnasium at .

Mundt, the current community development director, assistant city administrator and interim city administrator of Gardner Kansas, will start her new position June 13. She received a bachelor's degree in political science from ISU and received a master's degree in public administration of the University of Kansas. She will be paid an annual salary of $103,571.

More than 160 applied to replace Lundt.

“With such long-tenured members in the City Manager’s Office, choosing a new assistant is a rare event,” Schainker said in a prepared statement.

“Fortunately, I am confident that Melissa’s enthusiasm, experience, and dedication to public service will help her quickly become a valued leader in our efforts to provide Ames residents with exceptional service at the best price.”