The change in plans was necessitated, according to town officials, by a recent decision by Mr.
Ray not to come to work in Signal Mountain after all.
Instead, they indicated, he is in the process of applying to become town manager in Manchester, Tn.
Despite the setback, Mayor Charlie Poss said, “The town council remains committed to hiring a professional town manager with the highest ethical standards.”
Earlier, Signal Mountain had three finalists to replace Boyd Veal, but was not satisfied with any of them and went back out for new choices. That is when Mr. Ray was selected.
During the earlier selection process, Mr. Ray campaigned hard for the job of Signal Mountain town manager.
A credentialed member of the International City/County Management Association, with more than 20 years of experience in town administration in four different states, he beat out competitors and was offered the job. In April, he signed a contract agreeing to actually assume the duties of Signal’s town manager.
It is unclear what made him change his mind.
The code of ethics of the International City/County Management Association calls for members to “demonstrate by word and action the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in all public, professional and personal relationships in order that the member may merit the trust and respect of the elected and appointed officials, employees and the public.”
Further, the group’s guidelines regarding appointment commitment, require that:
“Members who accept an appointment to a position should report to that position. This does not preclude the possibility of a member considering several offers or seeking several positions at the same time. However, once a member has accepted a formal offer of employment, that commitment is considered binding unless the employer makes fundamental changes in the negotiated terms of employment.”