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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- It was this past Friday when Diane Gawronski, Executive Director of Ottumwa Transit, resigned.

City officials said Gawronski was instrumental in taking the department where it was and building it up during the nine months she was in position.

Ottumwa City Administrator Joe Helfenberger said she reached out to surrounding communities with 10-15 and did a lot with PR and morale with the department.

Gawronski’s resignation was unexpected but the position is one with a lot of responsibilities.

“It’s difficult taking a department that went through the turmoil that it did over the past year or so, year and a half ago when it went from an autonomous group to being a city department and then trying to build back relationships with the state and I think Diane also did a great job of building up the relationship with the state,” said Helfenberger.

Helfenberger said the city is currently advertising for a new Transit Director and hopes to have the position filled sometime in February.

Dave Silverio will be in the interim director until the position is filled.