Friday, AUGUST 15, 2025 |
Photo – Police Chief Mike Ward – Courtesy City of Rawlins
Rawlins officials have appointed Police Chief Mike Ward as Acting City Manager.
As reported by Bigfoot99, during the August 8th Rawlins City Council meeting, Downtown Development Authority Executive Director and District 15 representative Pam Thayer was chosen as Acting City Manager while Tom Sarvey is out on leave. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Sarvey is suffering from a serious medical issue, but no official details have been released.
Thayer’s tenure was short-lived, on Monday evening, the Rawlins City Council held a special meeting to choose another Acting City Manager. Following a closed-door executive session, Councilwoman Tonya Lewan moved to appoint Rawlins Police Chief Mike Ward to the position.
Bigfoot99 spoke to Acting City Manager Mike Ward about his recent appointment. Chief Ward said he doesn’t plan to make any major changes while City Manager Tom Sarvey is on medical leave.
Acting City Manager Ward said he doesn’t expect to remain in the role for long. As a lifelong law enforcement officer, Chief Ward said his goal is to maintain the status quo until he can return full time to leading the Rawlins Police Department.
With more than three decades in law enforcement and experience teaching leadership courses for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Acting City Manager Ward said he brings extensive leadership knowledge to the role. However, his training did not include specific provisions for serving as a City Manager. Chief Ward said he will depend on the expertise of the city’s department heads to ensure day-to-day activities continue operating smoothly.
While serving as Acting City Manager, Ward said he will continue to fulfill his duties as the chief of the Rawlins Police Department. The demanding nature of the City Manager position means that Lieutenants Richard Hooper, Jared Frakes, and Daria Hooper will temporarily assume the administrative duties of the police station.
If he is required to fill the Acting City Manager position for an extended period of time, Chief Ward said he may appoint one of his lieutenants as Acting Police Chief.
Ward said he has every intention of returning to his position as Chief of Police after City Manager Tom Sarvey returns from medical leave. In the meantime, Chief Ward said he sees his new role as a way to serve his adopted hometown.
Acting City Manager Ward thanked the Rawlins City Council for trusting him to assume the role. Chief Ward described himself as a police officer and a leader of officers, and said he views the appointment as a temporary assignment.
