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Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Souza calls council “toxic” as hiring a new city manager put off until after November election

The Crossville city council agreed to put off hiring a new city manager until after the dust has cleared from the city election in November.

In addition to the council seats of Pete Souza and Jesse Kerley being up for election, it looks like a strong possibility that the recall votes for Danny Wyatt and Pam Harris will also take place on the November ballot.

Mr. Souza stated that since 2007 the city has had ten managers and interim managers. “We have a toxic city council. That's a fact. We need to wait. I don't think we could get anybody right now, that's any good as a professional manager that would even come here.”

While preliminary work on recruiting and vetting potential city manager candidates is expected to take place prior to the election, the final decision on who will become city manager will wait until new members, if any, are sworn in.

The council agreed to move forward using the UT Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) to provide the recruiting service at no cost to the city. Crossville mayor James Mayberry said that MTAS had recommended, and he agreed, that the final selection should be delayed until after the election.

Mayor Mayberry moved to let MTAS begin the process and to put off hiring until after the election and councilman Pete Souza supported the motion.

Councilman Jesse Kerley asked city attorney Will Ridely about the legality of putting off hiring a manager. Ridely responded that the motion was fine, but there was nothing stopping another council member from making a motion to hire a manager in the future before the date set in the motion.

The motion was approved unanimously by the council.

Council also approved an employment contract with interim city manager Steve Hill. Hill is to be paid $75,000 annual salary plus benefits offered to other city employees while he serves in the position.


The contract was approved with councilman Souza opposed. Souza felt that the agreement in place when Hill was originally appointed should not be changed.  

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