Branson Police chief officially tabbed as city administrator

After being named interim city administrator in May, Branson Police Department Chief Stan Dobbins is moving into the role permanently.

Dobbins is scheduled to make the switch on Jan. 1, when he’ll officially succeed four-year City Administrator Bill Malinen, who was terminated May 24 for unspecified reasons.

“He knows the goals of the community, city staff and the board of aldermen; therefore, he can hit the ground running,” Mayor Karen Best said of Dobbins in a news release. “He is committed to economic development, safety and security, fiscal responsibility and preserving the legacy of the Ozarks.”

The city plans to soon conduct a nationwide search to find Dobbins’ successor as Police chief.

The month after he became interim city administrator, Dobbins put Branson’s $80 million Highway 76 revitalization project on hold. Dobbins said he’ll continue to work on solving a funding puzzle related to the project, as he predicted a pause for as long as two years.

“We started work without all the pieces nailed down, so the cart got before the horse. For some reason, it wasn’t a high priority before me, but I’m going to sort it out,” Dobbins told Springfield Business Journal in June, pointing to a state loan the project no longer qualifies for and a stalled community improvement district.

Dobbins, who has 37 years of law enforcement experience, joined Branson in 2012 as assistance Police chief before being promoted to the top position in 2016, according to the release.