Council approves new community development manager position over one dissent

The Pinetop Lakeside Town Council approved a new Community Development Manager job description and starting salary in a 6-1 vote, a personnel change the town manager described as a fiscally responsible alternative to hiring a director immediately.

Town Manager Christie told the council the community development director position was vacated earlier in 2026 and that she is proposing a Community Development Manager role to supervise a small team (one full-time, two part-time) and report to the public works director while the appointee learns municipal operations. "I'm asking to change it to a manager position," Christie said, adding that the change would save the town about $10,000 compared with filling both a manager and a director role under the current budget.

Council discussion focused on hiring authority and budget constraints. A councilmember asked whether the manager could later be promoted into a director position and whether the council needed to impose additional limits on hiring. Christie said budget limits would constrain simultaneous hires and that staff would report monthly budget status to the council. Councilmember Heiser moved to approve the job description and starting salary; the motion passed 6-1.

The action establishes the position and its starting salary as part of the town's approved positions; staff said they will proceed with recruitment consistent with the approved budget and will return to council for any recruitment or offer decisions that require further council action.