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During discussion before the vote, Tritt, who placed McHargue's name in nomination, said the manager decision was a difficult one.
"Six finalists were narrowed to three, and there was just a hair's difference among them. All three had the degree that we felt was required," Tritt said. "It's the first time Sylva will have a manager, and I hope the first one will do a good job. I feel Richard (McHargue) would probably be the best."
Painter, who also joined the town board in December, was the only other member to comment.
"It was a privilege to sit in on the final selection," said Painter, a former county commissioner and Harris Regional Hospital board chairman. "It's been one of the most difficult decisions I've encountered. Like Mrs. Tritt said, you could have just about drawn straws.
"I feel the town is going to need a manager if it will make progress," Painter said, adding that town limits stretch from Dillsboro out to Webster Road and not "from the (courthouse) fountain to Meatballs.
"(Being town manager) will be a lot of work," Painter said. "I hope the board will be with (McHargue) and he'll do a great job."
McHargue, a 1993 graduate of Statesville High, received his bachelor's degree in political science from Appalachian State University in 1997. He earned his master's degree in public administration from ASU last year.
"I'm honored to have been selected," McHargue said Monday. "It's a tremendous responsibility and being the first manager makes it special. It's a responsibility I take seriously - it's important that the community have confidence in town leadership."
The key to the first manager's success will be "trust-building" in the council-manager form of government, McHargue said.
Some residents questioned the town changing its system of government, he said, adding that "I think planning is one reason (for the change)."
"Small towns like Sylva are faced with many challenges," McHargue said. "Planning means a lot of things - land use planning or budgeting of the general fund - and is particularly important when it comes to capital projects."
Tommy Thompson, Sylva's town clerk for the past 13 years, applied for the manager's job and was one of six finalists who received an interview.
Historically Sylva's clerk has functioned almost like a manager, and Thompson has performed a variety of duties, including day-to-day administration and yearly budget preparation, that will now fall to McHargue.
"Personally, I'm disappointed, but what's important is the future of Sylva," Thompson said Tuesday. "I hope (hiring a manager) proves to be in the town's best interest."
Both McHargue and Thompson indicated they would work together to ensure a smooth transition.
"I've always worked well with Tommy," McHargue said. "I spoke with him on the telephone, and he congratulated me."
McHargue said he expects Thompson to continue to play an important role in city operations.
"I want to involve Tommy in a way that's mutually satisfying and beneficial," McHargue said. "If he can help with projects, I want that to happen, but I won't assign him tasks without consulting him."
Mayor Oliver was unavailable for comment Tuesday, but Vice Mayor Tritt said board members are pleased that McHargue has accepted their offer.
"We look forward to working with him," Tritt said. "He plans to meet with everybody individually and try to get off to a good start."
A town board planning retreat scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 26, at Tritt's family cabin in Yellow Mountain community should help familiarize the new manager with town issues.
As city manager, McHargue will be responsible for preparing and recommending a budget to the town board, he said, adding that he wants that process to be a "team effort."
Long-range planning will be another of his responsibilities, McHargue said.
"I want to look at the 'big picture' and make priorities that will benefit the community at large," he said, adding that he sees planning as a joint process undertaken by the manager, mayor and town council. He hopes to develop a written plan that will include both the town's goals and strategies to achieve them.
"We need to go ahead and get upcoming projects down on paper and get estimates so we can then look at funding needs," McHargue said. "Some may be achieved through grant funding, and some we'll have to save for."
Public relations will also be a part of his duties, McHargue said.
"Making contact with town citizens is important," he said. "I'll have an open-door policy, and I encourage people to visit and share ideas."
Most important to him, McHargue said, is getting to know the town staff and helping city employees function as a team. As manager, he will be involved daily, he said, not to "micro-manage" but to be part of the team.
"I want town (residents and business owners) to have full confidence they can come to me or any town staff member," McHargue said. "Responsive, visible, accountable management is something I want to work toward personally."
With regard to Painter's comment that Sylva needs a manager to "move forward," McHargue said he thought that referred to leadership.
"Sylva is not going to get smaller with regard to needs, budget and infrastructure," McHargue said. "With that comes a need for proactive leadership and attention to detail. Part of my responsibility will be to monitor town employees and make sure they have the resources to carry out town services efficiently."
When asked about the future of SPIR, McHargue said it's not likely that the downtown revitalization group will be merged with Sylva's town government.
"SPIR is set up as a non-profit. It's a partnership between local government and the private sector," McHargue said.
While confirming that SPIR was concerned about its future, he said there had been no indication that Sylva's board will not continue its financial support, which amounted to $20,000 during the current fiscal year.
Another option for SPIR could be a part-time director, McHargue said, though he cautioned that if SPIR went in that direction, its board would have to "refocus and scale down expectations."
Giving SPIR's board less than two weeks' notice is adequate, McHargue said, because board members were aware that he had applied for the town manager's position.
"They've supported me all the way, and I feel this is appropriate," McHargue said.
With regard to Painter's "fountain to Meatballs" comment, McHargue said he thought Painter had made that point because the soon-to-be-manager's experience in Sylva has been limited to his Main Street work with SPIR.
"I was hired by SPIR to do a job that I have done to the best of my ability," McHargue said. "Now I've been hired by the town of Sylva, and I intend to do that job to the best of my ability - and then some."
As town manager, McHargue is expected to make an annual salary of about $40,000 per year, though an exact figure was not available at press time.
Town leaders June 7 amended Sylva's charter to provide for a council-manager form of government, and a portion of the manager's projected $40,000 annual salary was included in the current fiscal year's budget. A maintenance position was eliminated in order to include funding for about one-half of the manager's proposed salary.
Though a study by a governmental consultant more than two years ago recommended Sylva change to a professional manager form of government, town officials held little public discussion before the change was adopted.
Most such debate occurred last spring but was apparently confined to the town's three-member personnel committee, which at the time consisted of Tritt, Moody and then-board member Lynda Sossamon, who served as chairman.
That committee met on several occasions without giving adequate notice as required by the N.C. Open Meetings Law. Because all town committee meetings include a majority of the town's five-member board, all committee meetings are considered special board meetings and must comply with terms of the law.
Committee members' rationale for backing the change to a manager-council form of government was discussed during an April 17 meeting of the personnel committee, according to information supplied The Herald by the three members and Mayor Oliver; however, no minutes of that session exist, despite the provision of the Open Meetings Law that requires such records.
Board members approved a May 3 resolution to enact the change with no discussion; the June 7 vote that finalized the matter was held after a public hearing during which six local residents - four for and two against - offered comment.
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McHargue