By Pauline Masson –
Six months after offering to stay for a year to help the City through the search for replacement of the city administrator who resigned in August 2023, Interim City Administrator Harold Selby resigned the post April 2.
Selby is now the fourth city official to exit City Hall in eight months.
Previous city administrator Steve Roth resigned August 11, 2023. Former Economic Development Director Steve Myers left October 13, 2023. Former. And Police Chief Scott Melies resigned February 20, 2024.
Selby’s last day on the job will be May 2.
He is leaving the job, Selby said, because the board of aldermen (BOA), “seems to want to go in a different direction.”
Timing of the resignation follows the recent election when James Cleeve and Scott Lesh were re-elected to their Ward Two and Ward Three seats. And, Karla Stewart, the pairs fellow opposer of the unpopular Manors at Brush Creed Subdivision, successfully captured the Ward 1 seat, previously occupied by Rick Presley.
The departure also comes amid work on a new budget for fiscal year July 2024 through June 2025, which must be approved by the BOA to take effect July 1.
Cleeve and Lesh were at odds with Selby over the budget, specifically over pay raises for all employees that Selby proposed. They complained that Selby had not explained the source of the funds to maintain the higher personnel costs in the future.
Lesh made an impassioned plea for his fellow aldermen to assign him to work with Selby on the spending plan but his request was not approved. Cleeve lambasted Selby in the January 4, meeting for sending him too many emails regarding funding sources for raises.
Cleeve and Lesh voted ‘No’ on the raises and Debbie Kelley abstained, which denied the mayor the ability break a tie and approve the raises. After alderman Rafael Madrigal suggested that the board should re-vote on the issue, the BOA voted unanimously to approve the raises
One city staffer, who asked not to be identified, said Selby’s departure was a great loss to the city at a crucial time. “It’s sad. Very sad. Pacific is losing its greatest asset, a seasoned administrator who knows how to put together the funds and workers to make things happen.”
‘This just brings home how important it is to vote,” the staffer added.
Selby’s departure before a permanent replacement is in place, leaves the City with no experienced city planner and comes as the City faces three upcoming big interest issues.
The City swimming pool has a limited life and will have to be improved, replaced, or closed in the foreseeable future.
The North First Street at Osage widening promises to pave the way for a long discussed truck traffic plan needed to route big rigs off neighborhood streets.
Rallying city businesses to develop plans to lure motorists celebrating the Route 66 centennial celebration in two years, to stop, shop, eat and stay overnight in Pacific.
In a telephone interview Selby said the City has received applications for a full time administrator and aldermen are working on a screening method to select key candidate to be interviewed for the job.
Mayor Laments Loss
Mayor Heather Filley said she was sorry to see Selby leave before his expected departure date in August but she understands his reasons.
“He feels that his direction and the direction of the board of aldermen are not along the same path,” she said.
Filley said the 2024-25 budget is underway and she is confident it can be completed on time.
“The department heads have turned in their requests to Mr. Selby. He will be working on that with Kim and the staff until May 2 (when he leaves) she said. ”I’ll work to get it to the BOA, maybe ask for some workshops, to get it approved on time.”
She added that Selby’s early departure was a loss to the city.
“He could have helped us with many things,” she said. “So much more could have been accomplished between now and August. I am sorry to see him leave.”
Steve Myers had to resign because he broke the law. Others also broke the law in support of creating the position for Steve.
The entire country seems to be divided to me. It’s now us vs. them. Sounds like the rumbling that started the Civil War. Selby had an arrogant approach crippled with knowledge. Being smart is good. Being a leader is better. This Board sounds like the heartbeat of it’s citizens. Which cadence to the drum beat do you hear? It certainly is a matter of time until we all find out. A house divided against itself cannot stand.
Pacific looses again Mr SELBY was exactly what Pacific needed to move FORWARD It just keeps happening and the City gets further and further behind instead of making great strides like so many of the surrounding towns