COOK—The city of Cook planned to announce its newest city administrator by the end of the week, sccording to Mayor Dan Manick.
During two public interviews on Oct. 12, city council members spoke with the two finalists for the position: Jenny Bourbonais, community development coordinator for the city of Virginia, and Kimberly Berens, the current treasurer for the city of Aurora.
Manick said on Monday that the city offered the position to its preferred candidate, who accepted but has yet to sign a final contract. Cook will announce the hire once the contract is signed.
The city of Cook has been without a city administrator since October 2025. During the October 2026 interviews, council members described working without a city administrator, a hurdle that has slowed efforts to strengthen city operations and advance housing and economic development projects.
Bourbonais is currently the community development director for the city of Virginia. She brings nearly 27 years of experience with St. Louis County, where she advanced through positions in planning, land use and management.
Bourbonais highlighted her experience in planning, zoning, economic development and emergency preparedness. She helped develop St. Louis County’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan and worked to make Virginia’s zoning information more accessible through the county’s Land Explorer tool.
She also serves as an emergency planning contact between Virginia and St. Louis County and said she has experience with floodplain ordinances.
“If you pre-plan for something catastrophic to happen, you’re more prepared when that does happen, and it helps with the timeliness of reaction to those certain situations,” Bourbonais said.
Bourbonais said Cook’s opportunities in housing and business development piqued her interest in the position.
Berens is currently the treasurer for the city of Aurora. She has worked for Aurora since January 2020, starting as a counter clerk and advancing to the treasurer position. She has an accounting degree, a master’s degree in environmental health and safety, a biochemistry degree, and military experience.
Berens highlighted her strengths in municipal budgeting and financial reporting.
Berens acknowledged that she has no direct experience in emergency planning or response. She said she would rely on teamwork and available professional resources to address those challenges.
“If it’s in my job description and it is my job to do, then I shall do my job. I would expect the same from everybody else,” Berens said.
A Cook native with family in the area, Berens said she hopes to return to the community and contribute to its growth.
“I grew up here. I went to kindergarten through 12th grade here, and I still have family in the area,” Berens said, “I would love to see the city of Cook grow.”
The Timberjay will update this story online when the final appointment is announced.