The search for the City of Cody’s next city administrator has narrowed to three finalists: current city administrators in southeastern Colorado and central Texas and a Wyoming native who’s an assistant administrator in Tennessee.

Cody leaders announced last week that they’re considering Robert Evans of Lamar, Colorado; Wayne Reed of Cibolo, Texas; and Tony Toldstedt of Spring Hill, Tennessee.

They’re seeking to replace Cody City Administrator Barry Cook, who’s retiring at the end of June after more than a decade in the job.

The city contracted with a Colorado-based consulting firm to launch a nationwide search and drew 27 applicants by a late December deadline.

Cook said the city was really excited by the number of applications.

“There were a lot of good ones in there,” he said.

The mayor and council initially picked out eight semifinalists — including former Cody Mayor Matt Hall — who were interviewed by KRW Associates staff via Zoom. After reviewing recordings of those interviews, the council collectively chose Toldstedt, Reed and Evans as their top picks.

All three will visit Cody next week for a couple of days of meetings with city personnel and the public.

Robert Evans

Evans offers over 10 years of city management experience in Texas and Colorado, plus 25 years of military experience as an officer in the U.S. Army. He’s been the city administrator for the City of Lamar,
Colorado, and its 7,500 residents since 2021.

Evans holds master’s degrees in agricultural and consumer resources, business administration and public administration with a bachelor’s in computer science.

Wayne Reed

Reed, the current city manager in Cibolo, Texas, would bring some bigger city experience to the role. His bio says he’s worked in municipal government in three metropolitan areas in Texas and Colorado over the past 26 years. 

Since 2021, Reed has served Cibolo, a city of roughly 36,400 people in the rapidly growing San Antonio area.

He holds a master’s in urban planning and a bachelor’s in environmental design.

Tony Tolstedt

Tolstedt is a Sheridan native who served as the city administrator in Douglas and Riverton before moving to Tennessee in 2022. When his prior service in Broken Bow, Nebraska is added in, Tolstedt has 16 years of experience in leading municipal governments.

He currently serves as an assistant administrator in Spring Hill, Tennessee, a city of over 57,600 people.

Tolstedt holds a master’s in public administration and a bachelor’s in philosophy.

Community members are invited to meet all three candidates at a March 5 meet-and-greet at Olive Glenn Country Club. The event will run from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and is “an opportunity to visit with the finalists and share important feedback,” according to a city release.

City department heads, council members and a group of citizens will then conduct interviews with the candidates on March 6, Cook said.

Ultimately, the hiring decision rests with the city council and mayor. The administrator — who handles the day-to-day operations of the city — is the only staffer who answers directly to the elected governing body.

It’s not the only significant hiring process underway at the city, either: Cody officials are seeking applications for its next community development director — a role that includes serving as the city’s head planner. The position has been vacant since former Planner Todd Stowell departed last April, as a prior search failed to land a hire. 

Applications for that role are due by 5 p.m. Friday.