Council debates Town Manager hiring process, views vacancies – OH, and about those drones…

It was a realigned and shorthanded Front Royal Town Council that launched into the business of 2017 at a Tuesday evening work session, January 3.  Present for his first meeting and filling the vacancy created by Bret Hrbek’s retirement from Council was former EDA member Bill Sealock.  Sealock joined five of six of last year’s members as Jacob Meza won the seat he was appointed to following Daryl Funk’s retirement to become Circuit Court Clerk; and Gene Tewalt won re-election.

Chairing his first meeting as Mayor, Hollis Tharpe led the now-shorthanded Council through discussion of several property matters; appointing one of nine applicants to fill the new mayor’s now-vacant Council seat; appointment of a Vice Mayor for the coming year; and the process to fill the Town Manager’s Office on a permanent basis.

On Jan. 3, New Mayor Hollis Tharpe, right, and Council were setting the groundwork for 2017.

That latter topic drew some of the most spirited discussion as the Council majority’s favoring the help of a paid consultant to seek candidates drew some pointed criticism from Gene Tewalt – “I think a contractor will hire anyone with a PhD and three pedigrees … but they won’t ask the right questions,” the former mayor and public works director told his colleagues.

Tewalt complained that a consultant would not make all names and resumes available, funneling only its top candidates to Council.  However, he made little headway in swaying the other four Council members to his preference of a locally-appointed “Blue Ribbon Committee” to oversee the process along with the Town’s Human Resources Department in acquiring applicants through advertising in selected locales.

“I still think a (consulting) firm’s the way to go,” Bill Sealock said at his first meeting after taking the Council seat he won in November.

Bébhinn Egger said she thought a consultant would bring better candidates than the Town Human Resources Department advertising the vacancy in various major markets from D.C. to Richmond and even across nearby state lines.  However, Egger said she would like to have access to all Resume’s submitted, not just the consultant’s top five or so recommendations.

Responding to Egger’s concern, Jacob Meza replied that Council could set any criteria it wanted a consultant to follow, including submitting all or a higher number of names and resumes than its top candidates.

Meza also said he believed the higher cost of seeking outside help in acquiring candidates would be neutralized by the lower salary the Town would be paying Interim Town Manager Joe Waltz, the Town’s Director of Environmental and Energy Services during the lengthier process the consultant path would likely take.

John Connolly agreed that a consultant would likely bring better-qualified candidates the Town’s way, leaving Tewalt on the short end of a 4-1 consensus on the consultant-driven Town Manager-hiring process.

Council Vacancy

After having moved up the deadline for applications to fill the vacancy to late December, Council continues to conduct interviews and appears poised to appoint to fill the vacancy by the end of the end of the month or early February.  Hopefully they won’t attempt to appoint the applicant, who according to a recent mayor doesn’t even live in Warren County, much less the Town as legally required.

Vice Mayor

It was verified that the remaining five Councilmen will be expected to select from among themselves to replace Tharpe as Vice Mayor as early as possible – the January 9, first meeting of the year would be expected.

FOIA designee

At Interim Town Manager Waltz’s request, Council agreed to expand the definition of the now-legally required municipal FOIA Officer to be, not only the Town Manager, but also “his designee” as necessary to fill any gaps in his availability.

Oh, & those drones

Some levity with a more serious overtone was added near the end of the meeting when Meza reported his home property was the target of hovering drones over the holidays.  Meza queried his colleagues on any Town Codes limiting the use of drone cameras to film or transmit images off private property.

Meza quipped that it was unfortunate he didn’t live in the County where it would be legal to discharge a firearm at the nosey robo-spies with the intent to “blow it out of the sky.”

Councilman Egger expressed sympathy, noting her earlier concerns about the use of drones over public places and events or private property.  She also led Council opposition to a staff initiative to add a drone aspect and training program to utilize the new technology for staff inspections of higher structures and perhaps assist police investigations.

Council “hangared” that initiative about a year ago until more guidelines were established statewide or nationally to regulate drone use and explore liability concerns.  However, Council fell short of establishing Town Codes on limiting drone use in December 2015 until there was more information on the new technology’s legal playing field.