FROM STAFF REPORTS
The Mooresville Town Board of Commissioners on Monday selected Jim Landon to serve as interim town manager until a permanent replacement for Randy Hemann is hired.
Hemann submitted his resignation in August after accepting an offer to work as city manager in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Under the terms of the contract approved by commissioners, Landon will:
♦ Earn $4,301.25 per week for working 37.5 hours per week;
♦ Receive a cell phone stipend of $75 per month;
♦ Receive a monthly vehicle allowance of $600; and
♦ Be reimbursed up to $200 per night for a hotel room if he is required to work past 10 p.m.
As part of the agreement, Landon agreed to be available by telephone for consultation and advice on days that he is not physically working in the town, and he also agreed to respond to the town for emergency situations.
The resolution appointing Landon was included in the consent agenda at Monday’s meeting. Commissioners did not publicly comment on the matter.
Landon has 27 years of experience managing cities and towns of varying sizes across the country. He has an additional 11 years of experience working in municipal planning departments. Most recently, Landon served as City Manager in Palm Coast, Florida from 2007 to 2018. Landon has a strong history of building partnerships within the community and a proven
track record of community-driven leadership.
Landon holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver and a Bachelor of Science in Geography with an emphasis in Planning/Community Development from Oregon State University.
Landon’s selection was the culmination of a process that began when the board asked Assistant Town Manager Ryan Rase to research and provide candidates for consideration. Rase prepared a list of local and non-local candidates, according to town officials.
The board reviewed the list and invited four candidates for interview. Two of those candidates were selected for final negotiations, and the board ultimately chose Landon.
Hemann’s last day is October 23.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, commissioners:
♦ Approved a request from the Mooresville Christmas Parade Committee to close Main Street from Iredell Avenue to Park Avenue, and from McLelland Avenue to Brawley Avenue on Tuesday November 21 from 1 to 6 p.m. for the Annual Christmas Parade;
♦ Approved a request from Finance to donate surplus fitness equipment to Fuzion Teen Center, a non-profit organization;
♦ Approved a request from Parks & Recreation to appoint the following individuals to the Public Arts Committee for a three-year term to expire on June 30, 2026: Caroline Harmon, Kelly Korak, Diane Sulg and Christina Dicioccio;
♦ Approved a request from the Police Department to accept a grant from the NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) in the amount of $123,980 to fund Year #2 of Department’s Traffic Unit Expansion Project;
♦ Approved a request from the Police Department to accept a grant in the amount of $1,105,000, and amend the budget accordingly, from the US Department of Justice/COPS Technology Program to fund new communications equipment for the Police Department with no match required from the Town;
♦ Approved a request from the Police Department to accept a grant in the amount of $375,000 from the US Department of Justice/Office On Violence Against Women to continue support of a Special Victims Detective for the Police Department and a Victim Advocate at Diakonos, Inc. dba My Sister’s House;
♦ Approved a request from the Police Department to accept a grant from the US DOJ/Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) in the amount of $10,362.50 and amend the budget accordingly; and
♦ Approved an amendment to the Agreement for Professional Services with Willis Engineers for Construction Inspection and Administration of the Wiggins Road Pump Station and Pipelines Contracts to adjust the contract price by $126,000 for a total amount not to exceed $1,500,000.