The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE — Clifton Forge Town Council wants to narrow its search for a new town manager.
Tuesday, council briefly updated the public on the process it will use to find a replacement for Town Manager Darlene Burcham.
Burcham announced in December that she will not seek renewal of her contract when it expires June 30.
Burcham will have served as town manager for 10 years when she leaves the job. She cited a lack of support from a majority of town council as reasoning for her decision to leave.
Burcham’s announcement touched off a wave of criticism from her supporters. Several of her supporters have attended council meetings in recent months and demanded that the public be updated on council’s plans to find Burcham’s successor.
Calls have been issued for the public to have a say in the search process.
“We will have a council of five citizens of [town] council’s choosing,” Mayor Jeff Irvine said in outlining plans to create an advisory council.
The advisory council will work alongside town council during the interview process. Council intends for the advisory council to be empaneled by April 7.
Irvine said council has received seven resumes from candidates who are interested in the town manager’s job.
Interviews will be conducted April 20-24. If necessary, another round of interviews will take place May 11-15.
If no qualified candidates can be found by mid-May, Irvine said council will seek help from the Virginia Municipal League in finding an interim town manager.
Council will hold an April 7 meeting in closed session to discuss the interview process.
“We will go over a host of topics and get our ducks in a row,” Irvine said.
The new town manager will face the complexity of dealing with limited fiscal resources.
In reviewing an audit for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2019, Finance Director LeeAnna Tyler said the town’s General Fund revenues are “flat.”
One-third of the town’s General Fund revenues come from the state, she said.
Clifton Forge has maintained the same real estate tax rate, 21 cents per $100 of assessed value, since 2008. Personal property taxes have effectively remained the same since 1993.
Tyler said Clifton Forge closed the 2019 budget year with an undesignated fund balance of $67,000. That total is not close to the 10 percent level recommended by auditors, she said.
As tax revenues remain stagnant overall, council is facing a dilemma over how to provide town employees with a pay raises.
Police Chief Chad Ailstock has requested that salaries in his department be raised by at least 5 percent in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
“The chief says the raises are needed so that his department can remain competitive with other police departments in our area,” Vice Mayor Pam Marshall said.
Council said it will consider several pay-raise options when work on the 2020-2021 budget begins.
During Tuesday night’s discussions, it was noted that real estate taxes would need to be raised 5 cents to provide employees with a 2 percent pay raise. Each penny on the real estate tax rate generates $11,000 in revenue.
Burcham said an option to avoid a tax increase would be providing employees with a $1,000 across-the board raise by eliminating the community development director’s position. That position is currently vacant.
“We need to get this discussion into our next work session so we can analyze what we need to do,” Councilman David Oeltjen said.
Recycling is also another major issue facing the town.
Covington-based Jackson River Enterprises recently stopped providing recycling services to the town after negotiations reached a stalemate.
“I think we tried almost everything to settle this thing in a good way, but nothing seemed to work out,” Irvine said.
RDS Virginia in Roanoke has agreed to handle Clifton Forge’s recycling needs until a long-term solution is found.
“There is a decision out there, that you all, and every community, will need to make in the near future,” Burcham said, in explaining that the market for recyclable materials has eroded.
Resident Diana K. Smith urged council to provide JRE with a partial payment of $3,000 for the recycling services it provided while talks with the town were ongoing.
She noted that JRE provides employment to individuals with disabilities. Eleven of JRE’s 37 employees reside in Clifton Forge, she said.
“These citizens provide a valuable service to our community and they have earned our support,” Smith said. “I understand the frustration in dealing with JRE management, but please don’t forget these individuals.”
In other action, council:
— Recognized Mike Jack on his retirement from the public works department. Jack was serving as acting public works director when he retired March
1. He had worked for the town for more than 36 years.
— Approved a $250 donation to the Alleghany Highlands Bike Rodeo, scheduled for May 2 in Covington.
— Watched an unveiling of Clifton Forge’s “Hometown Takeover” video that has been submitted to HGTV.
— Approved the Easter Alleghany Ministerial Association’s “Way of the Cross” procession on April 10.
— Approved street closures for the Grand Fondo cycling event on May 9.
