McNair hired as town manager

Olivia L. Lawrence

Town Manager Denise McNair in her office at Town Hall. The Town Council hired her on a full time basis this week. Previously, McNair had been serving in an interim capacity.

She has served the town as tax collector and interim town manager and now Denise McNair has accepted the position of town manager at a salary of $113,000.

McNair, 54, said she has worked at town hall for 15 years. She said people can expect a straightforward style that doesn't sugar-coat the truth.

"I like the town, I've lived here my whole life," McNair said. She said her work as tax collecter helped prepare her to understand the issues.

McNair won unanimous approval from the Town Council who considered her for the post during an executive session Tuesday night.  The council did not convene a search committee, but selected McNair after her successful performance in a trial period that began when she sepped inot the job in July in an interim capacity.

McNair follows Roger Kemp who was in the job for about a year before he resigned. Before Kemp, Herman Middlebrooks held the position for about a year.

The new town manager said she expects this to be a challenging year. "It's been a tough year already - it's tough all over not just here."

For expanded coverage see The Citizen's Nov. 13 edition.