Update (08/04 1:10 p.m.) — Rob Patridge won’t be Medford’s next city manager. The city council failed to overturn Mayor Gary Wheeler’s veto regarding the hiring of the Klamath County District Attorney.
It would have required a 6 to 2 vote to overturn the mayor’s veto, but as NBC5 News first reported on Tuesday, 3 councilors had no plans of changing their vote. Now, the council is moving forward. In a unanimous vote they agreed to reopen the search with the recruitment company they still have under contract. The search for a new city manager started more than a year ago.
“I think we all had the hope that it would come to an end but it hasn’t,” councilor Eli Matthews says, “so we need to just press forward and make decisions now moving forward to get this past us.”
“We’re going to re-advertise,” councilor Kevin Stine adds, “the whole process we’re going to use might be a little different from last time, but it’s important that we get this position filled.”
Mayor Wheeler tells NBC5 News filling this position is a priority, and he’d like to have a new city manager selected before the end of the year.
Medford, Ore. — It appears Rob Patridge will not become Medford’s next City Manager. All 3 of the councilors who voted against the hiring of the Klamath County District Attorney tell NBC5 News they aren’t changing their minds Thursday, when the council is set to vote on the topic again.
This, despite some Southern Oregon lawmakers and former city councilors sending letters to council in support of Patridge.
“The problem is, is that does not increase Rob Patridge’s qualifications for the job,” councilor Kevin Stine tells NBC5, “he has zero political-administration experience and this is a job that needs that.”
Mayor Gary Wheeler vetoed the hiring of Patridge on Friday. It would require a 6 to 2 vote to override that veto, but if all 3 councilors stick with their “no” position, his veto will be sustained and the search for a City Manager will continue.
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