A former longtime Galesburg Police chief will return to City Hall, this time to serve as the city’s top administrator. Galesburg Mayor Peter Schwartzman announced Wednesday evening that he has selected John Schlaf to serve as interim city manager.
Schlaf — employed with the Galesburg Police Department for 39 years, 17 of those years as chief of police — will replace Wayne Carl as interim city manager effective Sept. 6.
It is anticipated a contract with Schlaf will be included on the Sept. 5 City Council agenda.
“I am very happy to appoint John Schlaf to be our interim City Manager,” Schwartzman said in a news release. “He has a vast knowledge of our City having spent nearly all of his professional life serving in a variety of important positions.
“He has exhibited exemplary leadership skills while performing these duties. We very much look forward to his leadership during this transitional period.”
Schwartzman touted Schlaf’s expertise in public safety, city operations, budgeting and municipal management.
In addition to his time working for the City of Galesburg, Schlaf served in the United States Air Force for six years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in law enforcement administration from Western Illinois University and also served on the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board from 1996 to 2020.
After his retirement as police chief, Schlaf was the director of Campus Safety for Knox College from 2006 to 2015. He also has been active in the community, serving on the Galesburg Downtown Council from 2005 to 2016, and Knox County Mental Health Board from 2017 to present.
“Please know that I am both honored and humbled by the appointment,” Schlaf said in the news release. “I am excited as we move through the transition period with Mr. Wayne Carl, department heads, and staff in the days ahead and look forward to the opportunity to work with the Mayor and Council as we continue to move the City forward on all fronts.”
Schlaf is accepting the reins as the City of Galesburg’s top administrator after a series of changes in leadership since Todd Thompson departed in May of 2022 to accept the position of Rock Island city manager. At that time, Wayne Carl served as the interim city manager until the hiring of Gerald Smith as city manager in November 2022. In June 2023, the Galesburg City Council approved a separation agreement with Smith, and Steve Gugliotta served as acting city manager until Wayne Carl was again hired in July 2023 to serve as interim city manager.
Carl notified city officials Aug. 9 that he was resigning the position effective Sept. 8 for “personal reasons.” Carl returned from retirement to assume the role of interim city manager on July 5. The former longtime director of Public Works had just retired from the city March 24 after 22 years in various roles.
Carl will continue to serve as the interim city manager through Sept. 8.
