City Manager

As co-chairs of a group of very civic-minded individuals who came together to work tirelessly for the successful vote taken on March 2, 2010, thus allowing the legal sale of spirits in our community, we take great pride in the recent news of the city's budget surplus.  Of the $1.8 million generated, it is most gratifying to know our efforts produced roughly half that amount, or more than $800,000, as noted by the city manager. Clearly, if the additional payroll taxes generated by the additional jobs created were to be included, this amount would be even more.

Dear Editor, I will add my voice to the issue of replacing members of the ethics board. Every member who was sitting on that board on Jan. 25, 2010, should have been replaced long ago. I had a hearing before the board on that date for a complaint I filed against the code enforcement officer and the city manager. These two city officials had refused to enforce the nuisance ordinance on property beside me with weeds and trash. I presented a thorough case with facts, documentation and photos.

The Danville City Commission voted to hire Civic Financial Advisors of Lexington as the financial advisor to oversee funding of the city's $27.5 million water system expansion, among other potential projects. According to city manager Ron Scott, the company was chosen over Ross-Sinclare & Associates with the Kentucky League of Cities and Morgan-Keegan with Farmers Bank in part because of a municipal securities rule prohibiting companies from underwriting or purchasing bonds if they are an independent financial advisor.

Danville City Manager Ron Scott, his wife, and the driver of a Corvette all suffered minor injuries in a traffic collision Tuesday night, police said. About 7:25 p.m., Scott and his wife, Janis, were in their 2011 Subaru Forester at the intersection of North Third and Walnut streets when William Thornton, 31, of Lancaster, disregarded the stoplight and crashed into their vehicle, police said. Thornton was driving a 1984 Chevrolet Corvette. The force of the collision caused the Scotts' sport-utility vehicle to overturn onto the driver's side.

While I agree with the stated objective of the Danville mayor and city manager, I disagree with the proposed implementation. Partial funding, threats of funding revocation, detailed spending records, audit of spending, and other administrative burdens are not the answer. The city should specify the desired return on investment that is desired and the means by which that performance will be measured.  For example, it could be specified that job creation and increased tax revenue are the highest priorities.

Danville Mayor Bernie Hunstad and other city commissioners formally swore in recently appointed City Manager Ron Scott on Tuesday night. Scott was one of three finalists interviewed in Danville for the position. The other two candidates were Matthew Candland of Maryland and Isaac Turner of Florida, according to financial records obtained under an open records request. Candland served as town manager of Sykesville, Md., for 17 years before last week accepting a similar position in Carlisle, Pa., according to The Baltimore Sun.  Turner was city manager in Venice, Fla., for two years until several city council members forced him to resign in February 2011, according to The Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Mayor Hunstad ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility. Commissioner Louis maintains that she, too, is a fiscal conservative. It's hard to tell where Commissioner Montgomery stands although he most often votes with Hunstad and Louis. Many months ago, I suggested they should just make Ron Scott city manager. Not that I endorsed him, but it was so obvious he would be the choice of the majority, the ones The Advocate has previously named “the gang of three.” After many months of delay, there was a total waste of some $300,000 that included a “sham” recruiting effort by an Atlanta search firm and empaneling two local committees whose recommendations were totally ignored.

In response to the Rogers letter of May 10, I agree that "now is the time to stand up and be counted," but I must object to the remainder of their tired argument. They state that the mayor and majority of commissioners are not listening to the majority of the citizenry who elected them. Quite to the contrary, they are acting in the best interest of Danville and the the pleasure of the majority. I certainly beg to differ that Mr. Stansbury was broadly perceived as a rising star by most Danvillians.

Commissioners Hunstad, Lewis and Montgomery failed Danville by firing Paul Stansbury more than a year ago. Now, after wasting more than $300,000 in a sham search for a replacement, they are poised to fail us again. The commission formed a "benchmark committee" to establish the criteria for choosing a new city manager. A "citizens committee" would then review city manager applications to determine which applicants meet the criteria. The citizens committee was composed of a balanced, diverse cross-section of our community.

In a 3-2 vote Monday night, Danville City Commissioners named Ron Scott the permanent city manager. The decision came after an hour-long executive session. So many residents packed the meeting room at city hall that some had to stand or wait in the hallway for the commission to finish the executive session. Mayor Bernie Hunstad as well as Commissioners Gail Louis and Ryan Montgomery voted to hire Scott. Commissioners J.H. Atkins and Kevin Caudill voted “no.” Scott was interim city manager for nine months.