City ready to hire manager

By JEFFERSON WEAVER
Staff Writer

The City of Whiteville is in final negotiations with its new city manager.

Joshua W. Ray, 27, is currently the town manager for Biscoe. He got his start in municipal government with Biscoe in February 2002 as an intern, and was hired as manager in March 2003.

The UNC Chapel Hill graduate holds a master of public affairs degree from Western Carolina, and is active in several professional and civic organizations. Ray is not married.

Biscoe is located in Montgomery County. The town has a population of 1,754, 17 municipal employees and a $2.6 million annual budget.

Ray was chosen by the city council from a field of four candidates. One of the candidates withdrew his application before a final interview.

Ray is known as a “busy” manager – while at Biscoe, he has contracted to the town of Candor as administrator, and is known for aggressively seeking state and federal grants, according to reports in the Montgomery Herald newspaper.

Interim City Manager Doug Palmer makes $52,000 a year in the position. The previous manager made $65,000.