By Karissa Minn
kminn@salisburypost.com
EAST SPENCER — After more than a year without a town administrator, the Town of East Spencer could finally hire a new one next month.
At its meeting Monday night, the Town Board of Alderman went into closed session to discuss personnel matters before making a short announcement.
“The board did interview a potential candidate for position of town administrator and will resume deliberations at a work session later this month,” said East Spencer Mayor John Cowan.
After the meeting, Cowan said the board has interviewed multiple candidates and brought back Macon Sammons Jr., a former manager of Surry County, for a second interview Monday.
“He is highly qualified,” Cowan said. “He has been the manager of two counties in Virginia and one in North Carolina. He has over 20 years of experience in municipal management.”
The mayor said a decision will be made about whether to move forward with Sammons at the board’s next meeting.
The East Spencer Board of Alderman normally meets the first Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m., but this week’s meeting was rescheduled due to the Labor Day holiday.
The town has been looking for a new administrator since the spring of 2010, after Donnie Jones left the position due to medical reasons. Town Clerk Anneissa Hyde has been serving as interim town administrator.
When he was hired in October 2008, Jones did not have experience working in government. He owned a truck company for years and had been working as an insurance agent for Allstate.
In other news, the board approved a budget amendment Monday to buy a 2001 fire truck for the East Spencer Fire Department.
The town will pay $118,750 for the truck, including taxes, fees and other related expenses. It will use $37,691 from a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, $4,000 from the sale of the old truck, $500 from a Rowan County Housing Authority donation and $76,559 from the general fund.
Fire Chief Brian Cranfield said he was “very impressed” with the fire truck when he went to look at it, but Alderman Carlton Ellis questioned both the purchase and the department’s performance.
“I don’t see why we need a new fire truck,” Ellis said. “Just down the street here, we just lost a home — right here, within walking distance (of the fire department).”
Cowan then asked that any personnel issues be discussed in closed session.
Ellis did vote to approve the budget amendment, along with the rest of the aldermen in attendance.
Also at Monday’s meeting, aldermen:
• Approved a budget amendment for the police department to buy 10 traffic vests that meet N.C. Department of Transportation codes, 10 first aid kits and five lockout kits for a total of $750. The money originally was budgeted to purchase vehicle tires and tubes.
• Approved a property and evidence room key assignment form for the police department.
• Tabled approval of an updated East Spencer Police Department ride-along program until the town can get input from the League of Municipalities about the liabilities and insurance costs involved.
• Updated the work schedule of the street department so that part-time employees arrive at 7 a.m. — the same time as full-time employees – instead of at 8 a.m.
Contact reporter Karissa Minn at 704-797-4222.
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