Chadron Vice Mayor Cheryl Welch offered some good news to her colleagues and the public at Monday night’s city council meeting on the search for a new city manager.
The council last month offered the job to Scott Meszaros, but he withdrew his name when contract negotiations failed and the council offered the position to its #2 choice, John Sutherland of Rapid City.
Welch said she and the other members of the negotiating committee – councilman Keith Crofutt, City Clerk Donna Rust, and city Human Resources Director Bev Bartlett – had a very productive meeting last week with Sutherland, although negotiations aren’t done.
Asked by Mayor Mark Werner about the timeline for completing the hire, Welch expressed guarded confidence Sutherland will be on board in less than a month.
Greg Yanker resigned at the end of last year to return to the private sector as a construction engineer and retired Chadron Public Works Director Milo Rust was named interim City Manager in early January.