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Part-time town manager urges clearer procedures; council moves to closed session on staffing recommendations
Summary
Gene Swearingen, the part-time town manager, urged consistent enforcement of town rules, recommended publishing procedures online and warned about relying on town events for revenue; the council voted unanimously to add and enter an executive session to discuss staffing suggestions under Virginia Code §2.2-3711.
Gene Swearingen, serving as part-time Town Manager, presented an assessment report to the Clifton Town Council on May 7 and recommended that town policies be paired with clear procedures and made readily accessible—suggesting the town website be used as a virtual Town Hall. Swearingen warned the council that the town’s reliance on revenue from events is risky and suggested the part-time manager structure remain in place while policies and implementation plans are developed.
After discussion, the council voted to add an executive session to consider staffing recommendations arising from Swearingen’s assessment. Wayne Nickum moved to add the executive session; Bill Hollaway seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Later in the meeting the council moved into closed session under Virginia Code Section 2.2-3711 to consider staffing suggestions, then reconvened and closed the session. The minutes record no public action from the closed session and the meeting adjourned.
The council indicated next steps include working from Swearingen’s recommendations to develop a plan to resolve implementation issues and ensure consistent enforcement of town policies. Specific staffing changes or personnel actions, if any, were discussed in the closed session and not reported in the public minutes.
