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Sylva officials expected to name manager today
By Carey Phillips and Lynn Hotaling
Sylva leaders are expected to name a new town manager at 10 a.m. today (Thursday), according to Mayor Brenda Oliver.
The action is likely to come during board members’ regular meeting at city hall.
The Herald has learned that Jay Denton, former Jackson County manager and county commission chairman, is the frontrunner for the position.
Oliver said Tuesday she would not confirm or deny the name of any candidate. However, when told The Herald was hearing Denton would be the next manager, she said. “I’ve heard that too.”
Multiple sources have confirmed Denton was one of three finalists called back for a second interview.
Denton, who could not be reached for comment by Herald press time, was a biology teacher at Smoky Mountain High School when he was elected chairman of the Jackson County Commissioners in 1998. At that time, the commission chairman also served as county manager. Jackson was the last county in the state to have that form of government.
In a 2000 referendum, 62 percent of county voters supported Jackson joining the state’s 99 other counties by changing to an appointed county manager.
That method was implemented in June 2001. Denton remained commission chairman through the end of his term in December 2002. He did not seek re-election.
Denton most recently worked in the Center for Regional Development at Western Carolina University.
The new town manager will replace Richard McHargue, who left in June to accept a job in his native Iredell County. McHargue, who had been director of Sylva Partners in Renewal, became Sylva’s first town manager in January 2002.
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