WAUPUN — City Administrator Gary Rogers is leaving his position in Waupun to pursue a similar one in Hiawatha, Iowa.

The Hiawatha city council officially hired him at a May 6 city council meeting with a unanimous vote. He has served Waupun for the last seven years and his last day will be June 26.

Rogers told Mayor Steger that he originally came from Iowa and is returning to build time toward his pension. Rogers did not return phone calls from the Daily Citizen Thursday.

Rogers was caught up in a petition to recall Waupun Mayor Jodi Steger. According to Dan Ganz, owner of Spirits Tavern, he and the Citizens of Waupun for Leadership Change initiated a petition to recall Mayor Jodi Steger because she failed in her duties to remove Rogers from his position.

"It's safe to say we met our goals," Ganz said Thursday, when asked if the recall effort would end. "We need leaders to bring together the city of Waupun, not tear it apart."

Ganz said that he is not the only one involved and will have to discuss the issue with Steger and the petitioners. He plans to have a meeting in the next few days, but one has yet to be scheduled.

"Next I'll need to meet with the mayor to talk about moving forward," Ganz said. "We want to join together and move beyond this."

dharris@capitalnewspapers.com