City Manager's Office 

Merrill Stanley is the Deputy City Manager and responsible for broad policy development and oversight within city operations. He also serves as Acting City Manager during the absence of the City Manager. Merrill holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Economics from Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Illinois. He started with the City of Des Moines in September 2001 as the Finance Director/Treasurer. In June 2006 he was named Deputy City Manager. Merrill was the City Manager of Battle Creek, Michigan from 1998 to 2001 and previous to that was Battle Creek's Finance Director since 1980. .