By JEFFERSON WEAVER
Staff Writer

Columbus County Planning Director Stevie Cox was named town manager for Chadbourn Tuesday night.

With council member Jimmie Sue Ward casting the sole nay vote, the board approved Cox for the position vacated by Dottie Thomas April 30. Cox will make $50,000 per year.

The town board hired Cox before discussing details of his employment contract. The details will be worked out at a later board meeting.

Councilman Rashad Roberts made the motion to hire Cox, with a second from Larry Williamson. Councilman Fax Rector is recovering from surgery and was not at Tuesday’s meeting.

The vote came amidst sharp questioning and comments by members of the audience who joined the board’s discussion.

Chadbourn’s town board has one of the most liberal public commentary procedures among local towns. Mayor Kenneth Waddell and the board are well-known for their willingness to allow public participation in board business, but Tuesday’s discussion was unusual, even for Chadbourn.

Waddell explained that while the town could have held interviews in private, as is common with most local governments, Chadbourn interviewed the manager candidates in open, special meetings, and the applicants’ names were included in the minutes of each meeting.

“We try to be as discreet about these things as possible,” he said, “because some people might not feel comfortable with their employers knowing they’re looking for a new job. However, I personally spoke with each of the candidates’ supervisors, and they know we’re talking to them.”

Cox and Stuart Turille, an administrative assistant for the town of Matthews, made it to the final round of interviews.

Neither name was mentioned until Roberts made the motion to hire Cox.

As the board discussed the candidates Tuesday –without mentioning their names on the record – Chadbourn-area resident Larry Townsend encouraged the board to hire Town Clerk Bobbie Jordan.

Townsend interrupted the board’s discussion to point at Jordan and say she “has it going on.”

Jordan, who applied for the manager’s post when Thomas was hired, did not apply for the job this time. She has been interim town manager since Thomas’ resignation.

The board did not acknowledge Townsend’s statements, causing him to refer to the board as “idiots” and the meeting as “a joke.”

It is not clear if Townsend lives in the Chadbourn town limits.

The board’s agenda called for discussion of the manager’s position, and Ward said she felt that was what the board “should stick to” as the measure came closer to a vote.

“Y’all are going to do what you want to,” she said, “but we don’t have anything on here about voting on the manager tonight.

The agenda mentions discussion, not hiring. I think we need to discuss what he (Mr. Cox) asked for before we hire him.”

In a May 11 e-mail between Cox and Waddell, Cox said he would take the position for a starting salary of $50,000 per year, with increases to $52,500 after six months and to $55,000 after a year. He also asked that the town contribute 5 percent to his 401 (K) retirement account.

Chadbourn does not currently offer 501 (K) programs to its employees, except for mandated retirement payments to the Police Department.

The town is offering Cox the same deal paid to Thomas – $50,000 annually, with no 401(K).

Roberts was adamant that the board vote on Cox Tuesday, and discuss Cox’ additional requests later.

Another issue facing the board is residency of the new manager.

Ward insisted the town follow a trend becoming popular with many small governments, requiring the manager to live in the town limits.

“If my water’s brown, his water should be brown,” she said. “If my street’s flooded, his should be flooded.”

Ward questioned whether Cox would live in the town, since he owns a home in Tabor City.

“I feel like if a manager is going to be paid by property taxes,” she said, “he should pay a part of those taxes.”

Councilman Brian Edwards said he felt the residency requirement was “petty.”

“The manager with the right amount of experience will more than make up for a little bit of property taxes,” he said. “I want to see someone who’s the most qualified – if we get a manager who can successfully pursue grants, that $500 or $600 of property taxes isn’t going to make a difference. I don’t care where he lives.”

Roberts agreed.

“The manager will be here eight, ten or twelve hours every day,” he said. “That’s enough to know what’s going on, and what’s $500 in taxes versus a couple of large grants?”

Ward insisted that the second candidate, Turille, was sufficiently qualified, and would work for less. She also said she wanted more discussion on the specific requirements of Cox’s employment.