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Sylva officials hire interim manager
By Stephanie Salmons
After coming out of a closed session where they interviewed two candidates, Sylva leaders voted 5-0 to appoint a new interim town manager last Thursday (Sept. 18).
Chris Carter, who was city manager of Hendersonville for 14 years before he retired earlier this year, will come on board for 32 hours a week.
The process happened fairly quickly, Carter said in a telephone interview after the announcement had been made.
He had returned home from a trip and had been debating on returning to work on a interim basis when he head “through the grapevine” that there was an opening in Sylva, he said.
According to Carter, he contacted Sylva Mayor Brenda Oliver and after learning they were hiring on an interim basis, he submitted his resume.
It is likely that the quickest a full-time manager could be found is four months, Carter said, adding that he wouldn’t be surprised if the search for a full-time manager took upwards of six months.
Carter did say that he’s only on board as the interim manager and has no desire to come out of retirement to work full time.
“I got tired of staying at home,” he said of his decision to take on interim work. “I really enjoyed being a manager. I have a lot of friends in the field and get a lot of personal satisfaction from it.”
Although his previous work experiences have been with towns larger than Sylva, Carter said that experience will be a “good thing for the town.”
Prior to working in Hendersonville – where he was hired June 1, 1994 – Carter said he worked for six years as town manager of North Wilkesboro. He also had 10 years of experience working for state agencies prior to his managerial experience.
“One thing I’ve had the most experience with is managing large capital projects,” he said.
Carter began work Monday (Sept. 22) but said Thursday that his goals for his time spent in Sylva will be more definitive once he starts working and gets to better know town officials and staff members.
“My experience will be a good thing for the town because I won’t have to learn the job,” Carter said.
Carter was one of two candidates interviewed Thursday. The other was former interim county manager Rick Honeycutt.
Honeycutt was hired by the county in September 1998 during a search for a county manager. County officials had voted to switch to a hired county manager as opposed to the commissioners’ chairman serving in that capacity; however, once a new board was sworn in that November, that decision was quickly overturned. Ironically, former town Manager Jay Denton, who was dismissed Sept. 4, was elected commissioners’ chairman in November 1998 and took over the county manager’s job from Honeycutt.
In separate phone interviews following the meeting, board members agreed that both candidates were qualified for the position, but that Carter’s experience with town as opposed to county government is what swayed their votes in his direction.
“His work was in city government,” board member Harold Hensley said Thursday. “There’s nothing wrong with the other (candidate), but most of his work was in county government.
Both candidates could have performed the job, Hensley said, but the fact that Carter had 14 years experience in one town was what made Hensley vote to hire Carter.
Board member Maurice Moody agreed that “we had two good candidates we interviewed.” Both candidates were “well-qualified,” and Moody said that he did not have a problem with either applicant. However, when there are two people to choose from, someone is not going to get chosen, he said.
“I had never met him until this morning, (Thursday, Sept. 18) but he has an impressive resume,” Moody said. As for expectations during Carter’s tenure with the town, Moody said that town officials “expect him to carry out all the duties of town manager.”
“I think we’re fortunate to have him on an interim basis,” Moody said. “It gives us time to complete the search (for a full-time manager.)”
Board member Stacy Knotts said that she was “excited” to have Carter on board.
“He has a ton of experience in municipal government, and I think he’s going to be a really big help,” she said.
As for Honeycutt, Knotts said, “I like Rick a lot,” but that the board went with Carter because of his experience in municipal government.
“(Carter is) highly qualified and I think his skills will be an asset during this transition,” Board member Sarah Graham said. “I’m glad to get him on this quickly to carry on with (town business).”
Graham concurred that both candidates were qualified for the position and said the town was “fortunate to have two such qualified people interested in the position.”
Board member Ray Lewis said that he thinks that Carter will be good for the town and liked the way he handled himself in the interview.
He also echoed previous board member’s comments about Carter’s greater experience in town government.
According to Oliver, Carter will be paid $27.50 an hour and will receive a travel allowance of $400 per month.
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