BLUFF CITY, Tenn. – The Board of Mayor and Aldermen hired one of its own Thursday night to serve as its first city manager.
Without any discussion, board members voted 3-2 to hire former Alderman Don Weaver to fill the part-time job, although the position hasn’t been advertised and no job description spelling out the exact duties has been developed.
“I can’t tell you the stink this has on it,” Alderman Robert Miller said during the meeting.
Miller and Alderman Melvin Carrier voted against hiring Weaver, who served two four-year terms before he was voted out during the city’s May election. Vice Mayor J.C. Gentry, Alderwoman Irene Wells and Alderman Mark Weaver, Don Weaver’s nephew, voted in favor of the hire.
According to the city’s charter, the manager is responsible for handling many administrative duties, including supervising its employees, drafting its budget and seeing that laws are enforced. These duties fall to the mayor if there is no town manager.
Last month, Mayor Todd Malone suggested hiring a city manager after a change in his work schedule left him without time for those duties.
Board members discussed the position briefly during a workshop held two weeks ago. They then asked City Attorney Shawn McDaniel to research whether comparable cities in the region have city managers, their job descriptions and the hours required. McDaniel presented his findings to the board at Thursday’s meeting, but Gentry suggested hiring Don Weaver before the board could officially approve its job description.
He also made his original motion to hire the former alderman before stating how much money he should be paid.
“I don’t know how you can proceed to hire someone without discussing their salary,” McDaniel said before asking Gentry to rescind his original motion until at least those details could be worked out.
Gentry then clarified his motion by saying Don Weaver should earn $9,600 per year and work 20 hours per week in his new job. He will be responsible for setting his own work schedule and will serve at the pleasure of the board, Gentry added.
gmclean@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2518
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