     Chadron City Manager John Sutherland has submitted his resignation, but will have to wait until tonight’s City Council meeting to find out any details.
The meeting agenda includes items to formally accept his resignation and to appoint an interim city manager.
Sutherland came to Chadron just 16 months ago as the successor to Greg Yanker, who resigned at the end of 2020 after 3-½ years to return to the private sector.
     A retired long-time city administrator in Colorado, Sutherland was the second choice for the Chadron position, but was hired when contract negotiations with the top choice failed.
Among his biggest actions as city manager, Sutherland convinced the council to reorganize city departments to clarify the chain of command and reporting and helped resurrect the solar energy project after a period of inaction.
He also pushed for the city itself to do more street repair projects rather than contracting them out, and to draw down city reserves for street projects and similar infrastructure rather than to continue to ask for more property taxes.
The agenda for tonight’s 6:00 meeting at City Hall includes an update on the city’s Deer Management program and an announcement by Great Plains Communication on its new Fiber-to-the-Home and Business project proposed for Chadron
Also on the agenda are the public hearing an approval of the city’s new 1-and-6 Year Street Improvement Plan, and approving specifications for a new ambulance for the Chadron Volunteer Fire Department with the bid to be awarded Nov 1.
Why is it necessary to emphasize that the city manager had been “second choice” for the position when it has nothing to do with his retirement or the quality of his service? Apologies, Mr. Sutherland.
Thank you Mr Sutherland for helping improve Chadron.
Raising taxes is a good idea so the city has funds for street improvement and other necessities for the city. It would be great if the city could require rental property owners to improve the appearance of their property.