CHAMPAIGN– Officials in Champaign will decide at a meeting Tuesday whether to promote Deputy City Manager Joan Walls to serve as the city’s chief executive.
Walls is a 24-year veteran of Champaign city government, who was appointed to the position in 2013.
Under Champaign’s council-manager system of government, the city manager is hired by the city council to run operations and execute council policy.
The office’s current leader, Dorothy David, plans to retire later this month.
“I’m comfortable saying I speak on behalf of the entire city council that they were excited and enthusiastic about the opportunity to have Joan Walls move up and become our city manager,” Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen told IPM News.
She said Walls has the experience, drive and knowledge of the city to take over the job.
“I love her energy and enthusiasm,” Feinen added. “I mean, anybody who knows Joan knows that she goes full steam ahead at everything she does.”
Feinen also said Walls has taken on several projects for the city. That includes helping to spearhead the city’s Community Violence Reduction Blueprint, an initiative launched in 2022 to address the root causes of gun violence.
“I love this community,” said Walls in a news release. “It is an honor to be considered by the city council to serve as Champaign’s next City Manager.”
If approved, Walls would be Champaign’s first African-American city manager. She would take the position December 21, one day after the scheduled retirement of current city manager Dorothy David.