Norris sets schedule for taking applications, hiring city manager
The Norris City Council last Friday night set a July 18 deadline for candidates to apply for the vacant city manager position, and approved a schedule of special meetings to interview applicants and make a final hiring decision.
The person hired will replace former City Manager Scott Hackler, whose resignation was effective at the end of the day Monday (June 27).
On a unanimous vote, the council approved a list of qualifications for applicants that will be included in advertisements that will be placed through various media to seek candidates for the job.
The council will hold a special called meeting at 6 p.m. Friday, July 22, to review applications and choose candidates to interview.
Then first interviews with those applicants will be held during three special meetings, at 6 p.m. Aug. 3, 4 and 5. That will be followed by second interviews of the finalists during a called meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 6.
On Monday, Aug. 8, the council will meet at 6 p.m., just prior to the regular council meeting, to make an offer to the finalist, the council decided.
Among requirements for applicants as stated in the ad are at least a bachelor’s degree in business management or a related field, and experience in managing people.
The ad also will note that the city manager would be expected to work longer than 40 hours per week, and that the extra work would not include overtime pay.
In the meantime, the council decided to take Hackler up on his offer to continue some city administrative duties for a maximum of 10 hours a week through the end of August, by which time the city hopes to have a new city manager hired and on board.
Joshua Anderson, a first-term Anderson County commissioner who also serves as chairman of the commission, said last week that he will apply for the city manager job. He attended Friday night’s meeting on the application and hiring process.
He is the first so far to express interest in the position
Hackler submitted his resignation by email to city officials and the media on Wednesday, June 15, nearly two days after a contentious City Council meeting during which he was engaged in heated exchanges with council members Will Grinder and Loretta Painter over issues concerning the proposed new fiscal-year budget.
His resignation statement began, “Due to health reasons and after careful evaluation I cannot successfully fulfill the duties of City Manager for the City of Norris. Recent changes in my overall health condition have changed my ability to tolerate the long work hours and stresses associated with this job as currently configured. I hereby tender my resignation effective at 11 p.m. on Monday 27 June.”
Hackler, who is 63, told The Courier News that he had experienced some recent health issues, and felt that continuing in the city manager position would put too much stress on him.
He said he has accepted a part-time consulting position at the Y-12 plant at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he had served on the fire department until his retirement about five years ago. His last 17 years there were spent as fire chief.
