Council discusses creating Community Development Department and director job description ahead of new town manager's start

Virgin — The Virgin Town Council debated how to create a Community Development Department for the town's incoming manager, who also will serve as director of community development.

Council members and the town attorney recommended creating the department by ordinance, especially if it will hold utility responsibilities or a separate budget. The town's incoming manager is scheduled to start Sept. 27; council members expressed a desire to have the department structure and a director job description prepared before that start date but left open whether final adoption must wait until after the manager begins.

Why it matters: Establishing a formal department defines leadership, scope, and budgeting authority. If the department will manage utility systems, forming it by ordinance provides clearer legal and financial separation.

Key points discussed: - Heath, the town attorney, advised that departments that operate as utility-based entities generally should be created by ordinance, identifying leadership, purpose, scope and a separate budget. - Council discussed preparing a job description for the director of community development and preferred to have it available before the new manager starts, but acknowledged the manager could also provide input after beginning work. - Councilors emphasized they are the final decision makers; they welcomed the incoming manager's expertise but did not want the manager to unilaterally write or impose a job description without council review.

Ending Council asked staff to draft an ordinance and a director job description, consult with the incoming manager as appropriate, and return materials for the council to review and approve before or shortly after the manager's September start date.