Cameron replaces Jason Gage, who earned $220,000 when he started the job back in September 2018.
Cameron is a native of Miller, a small community in Lawrence County west of Springfield. He returned to the Missouri Ozarks after spending 16 years as city administrator for Siloam Springs, Arkansas. He earned his bachelor’s degree in organizational management from John Brown University in Siloam Springs.
Cameron's focus in local government includes improving city processes, building relationships between government and the development community, developing infrastructure, and environmental compliance. While on the job in Republic, the city attracted new investments from Amazon, Convoy of Hope and others worth at least $1.4 billion, creating thousands of jobs.
At a press conference on April 16, one reporter asked Cameron about the "balancing beam" act that Queen City government officials often play between residents hoping that Springfield remains as much of a quaint small town as possible, contrasting with other local citizens ready for more urban growth and expansion.
Cameron offered a lengthy response that included the following comments: "I got to use Republic as an example, even though it's a smaller area. But the same time is, I grew up here, where we had Firefall [a now-defunct community Fourth of July celebration], and so I think there's events and things that take place to still keep it as quaint, what the culture and the history of Springfield is. Because it's still, you still have to have that level of connection.
"What we love about the Ozarks, what I love about coming home, is where we all get together collectively as a unit, and that keeps us like talking about like, there's the Route 66 festival, I believe it is; and you got Firefall; but in Republic, we have Have-a-Blast [Patriotic Celebration and] Pumpkin Daze.
"You don't lose your identity of who you are, but you still have to continue to grow your economic development base, because that's what pays the bills. So you have to continue to have places for people to live, to work, and that's how you create your economy, to pay for, to maintain your quaintness, because if you're not making income or revenue from the growth and development from the economic development side, you're going to have much larger problems paying for your police, your fire, your public services and things that do protect who you are. So I think it's very paramount that you work on both of them at the same time."
A press release from the City revealed that "Cameron attends Second Baptist Church and loves the outdoors and all things Ozarks. He has three adult children, all of whom work in health care, and is a proud grandfather. He currently has one granddaughter and is eagerly anticipating the arrival of his second granddaughter in June."
In that statement he said, while he'll miss the staff in Republic and the community, he's excited to take the job as Springfield city manager.
Mayor Jeff Schrag said in the release that, "with over 30 years in local government, David has demonstrated a consistent ability to lead and manage city operations effectively and is the right person for our community at a time when Springfield is on the rise. We are excited to have him join our leadership team and help us build on the foundation of this great city – the Springfield we have always imagined.”
City Council will take a formal vote on an employment contract for Cameron during an upcoming regular council meeting. First reading of that bill will take place Monday, May 19, with the vote expected May 27, according to the City of Springfield.
Springfield city manager timeline
Timeline sources include past reporting by Ozarks Public Radio and by news collaborators including the Springfield Daily Citizen and the Springfield News-Leader, as well as news reports archived by the Springfield-Greene County Library.
Today: City Council announces David Cameron, Republic city administrator since 2016, as their choice for Springfield city manager.
May 5-6, 2025: City Council continues considering which person should be the next city manager of Missouri's third-largest city. Council holds two special closed sessions: one following the regular Monday-night Council meeting on May 5, and a second closed session after the regular Tuesday-morning Council workshop. Citing Missouri's open-government statute known the Sunshine Law, on May 6 KSMU requests meeting minutes and the outcome of any final votes related to human resources matters.
April 30, 2025: City Council continues weighing their choice for city manager. Citing Missouri's open-government statute known the Sunshine Law, KSMU requests meeting minutes and the outcome of any final votes related to human resources from special closed City Council meetings held on April 22 and April 29. The following day, city officials respond in part by writing, "We have reviewed the relevant information and there are no open records responsive to this request. Records which are closed are closed in accordance with RSMo 610.026 (3)." That's a section of Missouri's Sunshine Law.
April 15-16, 2025: The three city manager finalists — David Cameron, Bob Cowell and Brian Weiler — meet with City Council, community stakeholders and local reporters in a two-day visit. The city holds an online "town hall" for community members.
April 9, 2025: City Council reveals three finalists for the city manager job: David Cameron, current city administrator in Republic, Missouri; Bob Cowell, who most recently served as city manager in Roanoke, Virginia; and Brian Weiler, the current City of Springfield director of aviation. Once the finalists are announced, KSMU cites the Missouri Sunshine Law to request city records pertaining to any votes to hire or fire a city manager taken during closed City Council meetings held since March 1. On April 14, Springfield officials reply in part, "We have reviewed the relevant information and there are no open records responsive to this request. Records which are closed are closed in accordance with RSMo 610.026 (3)." That's a section of Missouri's Sunshine Law.
April 8, 2025: General municipal election shakes up City Council, as Jeff Schrag is elected mayor and Bruce Adib-Yazdi is elected to the Zone 4 council seat, defeating Mayor Protem Matt Simpson. Other candidates up for election are reelected.
March 28, 2025: With citywide elections coming up in less than two weeks, outgoing Mayor Ken McClure says there's ‘no specific timeline’ to choose a new city manager. The city manager job's starting pay is increased to $350,000 per year. Former City Manager Jason Gage started at $220,000 per year in 2018. His predecessor, Greg Burris, started at $195,000 per year when he got the job in 2008.
March 7, 2025: Officials in Brentwood, Tennessee announce Jason Gage will take on their city manager job, effective April 28. "Jason understands we are looking for incremental improvement and not structural change," the Brentwood mayor says in a written statement.
January 11, 2025: Jason Gage's resignation takes effect, roughly three months before a general municipal election to choose a new Springfield mayor and four City Council seats.
December 2024: Jason Gage is named one of four finalists for a city manager job in St. Joseph, Missouri. Springfield City Council chooses Deputy City Manager Collin Quigley to serve as interim city manager, starting January 11.
October 2024: Jason Gage announces his resignation for January 2025. In total, Springfield will pay more than $415,600 in severance to Gage, as reported by the Springfield News-Leader.
July 2024: Jason Gage is named one of four finalists for a city manager job in Manhattan, Kansas, but soon decides to stay in Springfield, saying in a statement, “After weighing all factors, leaving Springfield just didn’t feel right.”
2022-2023: Two city department heads — of workforce development and of planning and development services — resign abruptly in fall 2022 and spring 2023, as KSMU reported at those times. Another department head, of building development services, resigns early in 2022 after just over a year on the job, as reported by the Springfield News-Leader.
June 2018: Springfield City Council holds a press conference to announce Jason Gage, 49, as the new Springfield city manager. His base salary was $220,000 when his contract began. Then-Mayor Ken McClure says Gage "was the best fit for Springfield with his experience in public safety and economic development, which is two of City Council's main priorities. In addition, he has experience working in a community that has a strong educational background, Stillwater, Oklahoma."
November 2017: City Manager Greg Burris announces he’ll step down June 30, 2018. Burris was the leader of the city staff for 10 years, succeeding Bob Cumley.
August 2008: With Springfield’s underfunded police-fire pension crisis looming, City Council chooses a Missouri State University vice president, Greg Burris, as city manager. Burris is the 12th city manager since the city charter of 1953. He starts September 15 of that year and was paid $195,000 when his contract began.
