Collegedale’s city manager resigns during commission meeting
COLLEGEDALE, Tenn. (WDEF)- The city of Collegedale is experiencing a sudden change in leadership.
The city manager in a community such as Collegedale is important for ensuring that day to day operations are smooth.
However, a curveball was thrown at Collegedale commissioners on Tuesday evening.
Collegedale city manager Waylon Hines announced, “Unfortunately, I have lost trust and faith in some members of the Commission, and decisions being made. I have decided to resign my post as city manager and city engineer. I believe doing so immediately will be in the best interest of the city and staff as they transition to different leadership.”
Hines had served in that role since 20-21, and was also Collegedale’s city engineer since 20-16.
He said while he was proud of several projects that Collegedale has undertaken in recent years, he said he could no longer continue with the city.
This left Commissioners puzzled.
Debbie Baker said, “I think that we’re losing somebody that has cared for this city and has been treated unfairly by certain members.”
Tim Johnson added, “There are people and I’m not one of those. I’ll speak to it like it is. I don’t appreciate that.”
Mayor Morty Lloyd says it is regrettable that this situation came to this conclusion.
He said, “I may not have always agreed with some of his conclusions, but I always felt like he wanted what was best for the city of Collegedale. Whether we agreed on what that was or not.”
Michelle Toro was named the interim city manager until a replacement could be found.
Questions were raised on if this situation should cause the board to reflect.
Johnson said, “I disagree with the Commission getting involved in his job. It is not our responsibility to get involved, and (Collegedale city attorney Sam Elliott) you can correct me if I’m wrong. But the city manager runs the city. It is not the commission getting involved in doing what the city manager does. If it fails because he didn’t do his job, we deal with that.”
This issue will be dealt with at the next Commissioner meeting on September 15.
