THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 29, 1996 TAG: 9605290397
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 28 lines
About 100 applicants have applied for the job of city manager in Chesapeake, but a decision on who will get the job won't be made at least for another month and maybe longer, according to Mayor William E. Ward.
For the first time since the City Council hired the Atlanta-based Mercer Group earlier this year, the council met behind closed doors Tuesday with James Mercer, the man heading the city's search.
Mercer, president of the consulting group, has agreed to personally conduct the search for the city.
Chesapeake has been without a full-time city manager since October, when the council voted 7-2 to fire longtime City Manager James W. Rein.
Since then, former Assistant City Manager Clarence V. Cuffee has served as interim manager. Neither Cuffee nor members of the council would say whether Cuffee was a candidate for the full-time job.
Throughout Cuffee's stint as interim city manager, however, the council has continually praised his efforts.
Ward said the council asked Mercer for additional information about the candidates. He said the council has set no target date for hiring a new city manager.
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE CITY MANAGER by CNB