The Demorest City Council has narrowed its search for a new city manager. The council met last night in called session. Mayor Rick Austin says they’ve whittled down the slate of candidates from 26 to 8. “We will perform our due diligence on those eight this week and narrow the pool again on Tuesday,” he says.
Once the council selects its top three candidates, their names will be released and the public will be given fourteen days for public input before a final vote’s taken.
This is the first time in almost 40 years that the City of Demorest has had to search for a new city manager. Former manager Juanita Crumley held the position for 39 years. She resigned/retired in January. Crumley left the job on the heels of an investigative report citing alleged mismanagement as a possible contributing factor to the disappearance of more than $600,000 in city funds.
The final results of that investigation have not yet been released. No suspects have been named and no charges have been filed.
In other news from last night’s Demorest City Council meeting, the council voted to hire the John King Band to serve as the main event entertainment for the city’s Glorious Fourth Celebration in July.
