Manager Search 19
| At the last joint meeting of the Loudon City council
and the Loudon Utility board, both boards came within two votes to hire
a new manager. LUB board members voted unanimously to offer the job to
Scott Meszaros, one of the original candidates on the list to be
considered. When it came to the council vote, Eric Newman and John
Cardwell also voted for Meszaros. However, in a flashback from earlier
votes, mayor Jeff Harris and councilman Tim Dixon voted no.
Immediately after the failing vote, LUB chairman, Don Campbell, went on a bit of a push to just give the job to mayor Harris. Harris said he would sure consider taking the job after having just voted no on the recommended candidate. After that discussion ended, the boards decided to to open the application process again to anyone within the Loudon city or utilities to apply. This application process will remain open until September 30th. It's obvious that Loudon mayor, interim manager, former realtor, still wants the manager job. If not, all he had to do is say he wasn't interested anymore. Harris was the one who derailed the previous manager search process when, with none of the required qualifications, threw himself into the process and split the utilities and city council on hiring anyone. Looks like he plans to do the same thing again. What it really comes down to, is the November election. With two council members opposed to Harris as the manager and one council member and the mayor himself wanting him to have the job, the winners of the election may well be who makes the final decision. What should have been a six week process has now turned into a ten month ordeal. And it's nor over yet. |
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8/19/24