Bluff City board votes to end interim town manager arrangement; mayor to assume interim manager duties

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen of Bluff City voted at its June meeting to end the current interim town manager arrangement on June 30 and have Mayor Lori Staton assume interim town manager duties until a permanent city manager is hired.

The vote came after more than two hours of discussion about staffing, continuity and budget pressures. A board member moved that Michelle's temporary assignment end on June 30 and that Mayor Lori Staton take over interim manager duties; a second was recorded by a board member identified as Jerry. The motion passed with three yes votes and two no votes.

Supporters of the motion said the date was a previously agreed endpoint and noted a projected short-term savings to the town. "The new projection now is 3 months," a board member said while arguing the town should finish the hiring process quickly. A board member who voted yes said the move would "save us money" in the current budget cycle; the board later stated the savings over the proposed three months would be roughly $12,000.

Opponents urged the board to keep the interim manager in place until a permanent hire was in hand, arguing that removing the town's primary administrator during budget work would disrupt operations. "I don't think that's a good plan for our town," one alderman said, citing continuity concerns and ongoing infrastructure work.

Interim town manager Michelle spoke directly to the board before the vote: "I would come in. I would help. I would do the best that I can, and I would stay here as long as the board would have me until the position could be filled and do a proper turnover." She also said she had been working evenings and on some vacation days to address town business.

After the vote, the recorder announced roll-call results: Alderwoman Payne voted yes; Alderwoman Malone voted yes; Alderwoman Keith voted no; Vice Mayor Adams voted no; Alderman Johnson voted yes. The motion passed 3-2.

The board discussed the hiring process: the position was posted through MTAS (the Municipal Technical Advisory Service), which will screen applicants and submit candidates to the board. Michelle told the board she will not apply for the permanent city manager job, citing compensation as a factor. Mayor Staton said she would serve in the interim role but said she did not wish to conflate the mayor's office with the city manager's duties long-term.

The board left direction that the search will continue and that the mayor will assume the transition duties until a hire is completed.