Virgin council votes to extend offer for town manager; contract to follow

The Virgin Town Council on May 20 voted to extend an offer to Mark Myers for the town manager position and authorized the mayor to negotiate salary and contract terms, returning the final contract to the council for approval.

Councilmembers said they found Myers’ resume, interview and references compelling. “When we interviewed him...this man exceeded all of it,” Councilmember Misty said during the meeting, describing consensus among the interview panel. Members said Myers was the strongest candidate from a field of applicants and that references reinforced the panel’s impression.

The council discussed alternatives if negotiations failed. Members said a small group of other viable candidates remained on the list and could be interviewed if needed, but all five council members expressed support for making an offer. A motion to extend the offer and authorize the mayor to negotiate was seconded and approved by the council.

The council did not disclose salary figures in the public motion; members said the mayor was authorized to finalize salary and contract terms and then bring the written contract back to the council for formal approval.

The town described the hire as intended to place a qualified, locally based manager in office; councilmembers noted the advantage of hiring someone willing to live in the community. The council also said it would continue to pursue other candidates only if negotiations with Myers did not produce a signed contract.

Next steps: the mayor will negotiate the contract and present the final agreement to the council for a public vote.

Ending: The council’s action authorizes the mayor to negotiate terms; the appointment becomes final only after the council votes to approve the written contract.