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Leesburg council reviews town manager job description, staff says charter and state code limit changes
Summary
Council discussed the town manager job description, how it would be used during a future recruitment, and whether drafting requirements are constrained by the town charter and state code. No formal action was taken.
Councilors on the Leesburg Town Council discussed the town manager job description and how the document would be used if the council decides to recruit for a new town manager.
The town’s HR director told the council the job description describes duties, responsibilities and qualifications and that “if or when council recruits for a town manager, the job description will be used by a recruiter or consultant to develop a candidate profile for use in advertising.” The HR director said job descriptions are typically internal but are shared with candidates during the interview process for transparency.
Vice Mayor Simono Johnson said she had expected a more proactive discussion about traits the council would seek in a next town manager and noted she submitted a draft job description. “I thought we were gonna be proactive when we voted on this,” Johnson said. She added she did not feel the packet before the council reflected that proactive approach.
Councilmember Wilt asked whether educational or experience requirements in the draft — for example a bachelor’s degree in public administration and at least 10 years’ experience — are mandated by the charter or state law. The town attorney answered those qualifications are “not statutory,” meaning they are preferences set by the council rather than legal requirements.
Town staff and several councilors reiterated that the charter and, to a lesser extent, state code set the outer limits of any local job description. The town attorney said job descriptions must not conflict with the charter and that changing charter language would require action by the General Assembly.
Staff gave an overview of the likely recruitment timeline if the council decides to hire a consultant: from the time the council hires a recruiter or search firm, the process typically takes about three to six months to gather input, advertise, interview and negotiate an appointment. The HR director and Vice Mayor Johnson also referenced prior guidance that planning for a recruitment could reasonably be accounted for in a six- to 12-month window.
No formal motion was made. Staff said it would incorporate council feedback into the job description if council members provide it and that the description on file and the vice mayor’s draft would both remain available for future use.
