By Donna Westfall – August 9, 2017 – Over the last 10 years or so; there was:

•  Eli Naffah from May 2006 until he resigned in 2008; and then
•  Rod Butler @ $99,856 in January 2009 until about December 2010; and then
• Gene Palazzo started out at $98,000 base salary on August 8, 2011, and ended up being paid $124,000 in 2015. He resigned shortly thereafter when he accepted the city manager position at Galt, California; and then
• David VanDermark  who was fired in August, 2016 by the Winston City Council, was then hired in a 4-0 vote by Crescent City, City Council and started his new job at $110,840.  He didn’t last long, only nine months.  He was relieved of his duties  at the April 11, 2017 council meeting.

Since then, Michael Young has resumed the position of acting City Manager for a change.

There are currently 42 applicants vying for the position.  The next step: interviews are being scheduled for August 25th & 26th.  After interviews, the Council will decide whether to have second interviews, conditionally select a new City Manager or continue to search.

Per Mike Young, “The interviews will be in closed session of the City Council.  There will be a separate  advisory panel of local citizens that will also interview the applicants.”  The advisory board panel are selected by the City Council and some selections have already been made.

A request has been made to have a member of the local taxpayers association be selected for the advisory panel.

Hopefully, they will hire someone this time based on experience, common sense, ability to balance and juggle government employees along with interacting respectfully with the public; and not someone paid to learn while on the job.

If you have any questions you’d like asked of prospective city managers, submit them to Mike Young at Crescent City, City Hall via email: myoung@crescentcity.org.