Rochelle City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh will be leaving his position in mid-January to manage a new community, a Tuesday city of Rochelle news release said.

Fiegenschuh, who has served in his position for the past eight years, shared the news with the Rochelle City Council during closed session on Monday night. His last day is planned for mid-January, the news release said.

Fiegenschuh’s work over the past eight years has included navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, economic development progress, work on the city’s financial reserves, infrastructure investment, such as work on two new electrical substations, public safety staffing expansion, and personnel development.

“Serving as Rochelle’s city manager has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” Fiegenschuh said. “I am deeply grateful to the mayor, city council, our dedicated staff, and the residents of Rochelle for their support and partnership over the past several years. I am proud of what we have accomplished together. While it is not easy to step away, I believe this is the right time, and I leave with great confidence in the team that will continue this important work.”

Mayor John Bearrows thanked Fiegenschuh for his service and contributions to the community in the news release.

“Jeff has provided steady leadership through times of both opportunity and challenge,” Bearrows said. “His commitment to responsible financial management, economic growth, and high-quality city services has made a lasting impact on Rochelle. On behalf of the city council and our residents, I want to thank Jeff for his years of service and wish him all the best in his next chapter.”

The city council will discuss the appointment of an interim city manager and the process for recruiting a permanent city manager in a special meeting on Dec. 23, the news release said.