Hardie Stulce is up for consideration as city manager of Soddy Daisy – once again.
The city commission on Thursday voted 5-0 to negotiate with Mr. Stulce to fill the vacant city manager position.
“I’m prepared to get a city manager on board,” said Vice Mayor Bob Privett.
Mr. Stulce served as city manager from 1997 to 1999,Vice Mayor Privett said. Mr. Stulce then left to work for Norfolk Southern to qualify for retirement benefits, the mayor said. The city commission has already interviewed Mr. Stulce, he said, and now will start to negotiate his contract. One proposed provision in the contract would require a 5-0 vote to remove Mr. Stulce from the city manager position.
Mayor Gene “Geno” Shipley said he hopes to have Mr. Stulce on the job by mid-July.
The city manager position was left empty April 3 when Janice Cagle left, after having held the position for nine and a half years. Ms. Cagle left after a controversy involving a Jan. 1 traffic stop of the mayor’s uncle.
In addition to having worked as city manager, Mr. Stulce currently serves as Soddy Daisy’s fire chief. Mr. Stulce also has served as the city’s mayor and as a commissioner.
In other business, the city commission approved the city’s fiscal year 2010 budget, which is set at about $7.8 million. The property tax rate of 78 cents per $100 of assessed home value was approved on second reading as well. That rate is unchanged, at least until the Hamilton County Assessor finishes the county’s reappraisals.
The commission approved rezoning the Colonial Inn property to allow townhomes. Developer Andre Newman said he plans to build 37 units at Cape Townhomes. Demolition of the hotel will start in August, and the first units should be available next spring. The townhomes will be priced at $200,000.
The city commission announced it was donating $20,000 to the Soddy Daisy High School Band for its upcoming trip to the Rose Bowl Parade, drawing applause from band members and parents in the audience.
And, Soddy Daisy citizens will celebrate the city’s 40th anniversary on July 4 with birthday cake and festivities. The event, at Soddy Lake, goes from 9 a.m. to dark, when there will be a fireworks display.