See the latest Downtown News.
Ben DeClue, Former Interim City Administrator, City of Lebanon, Missouri
I didn’t plan on Lebanon changing my life, but it did.
When I moved here in 2014, I didn’t know anybody. I didn’t have any friends or family in the area. I had accepted a job as Assistant to the City Administrator. I came to town and signed a lease on the first duplex I walked through. That’s how I ended up in Lebanon.
I remember feeling like this place didn’t just automatically accept outsiders. It took a while to really feel like I belonged here. But over time, that started to change. Lebanon began to feel like home.
Back in college, I lived in Washington, D.C. for an internship. I always thought that was where I wanted to be. But it wasn’t for me. I quickly realized that local government was where I could actually make a difference. You get a chance to be close to people. You can directly impact your neighbors. You get to help build the community you live in.
I met my wife, Sandra, here in Lebanon. She started as the airport manager about 2 years after I arrived, and we met on her first day. Our first date was at the original Boat Town in Phillipsburg. I remember thinking how smart she was, how driven, and how funny. It didn’t take long for me to know she was the one. We have been together through a lot of life’s changes. Today we are married, and we have a home, a dog, and a life we have built together. Lebanon gave me all of that. I wouldn’t have met her if I hadn’t taken that job over a decade ago.
I have been working in local government since I was sixteen. I started out at the city pool in Crystal City, MO, my hometown. Eventually, I served a couple of terms on the City Council. For a long time, I thought my path would lead to federal government. But the more I experienced, the more I understood that I could have more of an impact closer to home.
Coming back to Lebanon as Interim City Administrator was a challenge I wanted to take on. I care about this community. I know the people who work here. I know how things function, and I wanted to do what I could to help during this time.
Public service is hard. Most people don’t see the long hours, the stress, the weight of tough decisions. You get criticized, sometimes fairly, sometimes not. But you keep going. You stay honest, you try to be transparent, and you listen. You do the best you can with the information you have. And you learn that not everyone will agree with you, but they still deserve your respect and your effort.
Lebanon has changed a lot since I first arrived. Downtown has been transformed. There is momentum here. People are investing in this place. I think that’s because people in Lebanon care. Even when we do not all agree, we still show up. That says a lot about a town.
This city has meant a lot to me. It gave me a chance to grow professionally. It gave me a life I am proud of. It gave me Sandra. And it gave me people who trusted me to help lead -twice!- even if only for a little while.
Lebanon changed my life more than I ever expected. And I will always be grateful for that.
Ben DeClue, Former Interim City Administrator, City of Lebanon, Missouri
