The Durham City Council unanimously appointed the more senior of Durham's two assistant city managers to the post of interim city manager at a meeting last night.
Gregory Bethea, who has served as assistant city manager since 1985, will replace Lamont Ewell as city manager starting Dec. 28, after Ewell leaves to become assistant city manager for San Diego, Calif.
The council members met in a closed session preceding the meeting to decide whom to appoint as interim city manager. John Pedersen, the other assistant city manager, was also considered for the position.
"I think they were both excellent candidates who could have served equally well as our interim city manager," said council member Floyd McKissick. "I believe Mr. Bethea had greater seniority within the organization."
Mayor Nick Tennyson agreed. "[Bethea has] extensive experience with almost all of the operational departments of the city," he said. "He has been in a leadership position as assistant city manager for a very long period of time."
Bethea said he had not yet determined his interim plans.
"I haven't really had a chance to sit down with council members to see what priorities they want me to address," he said. "There's certainly a lot on our plate."
McKissick said the council had discussed both candidates in the closed session, but that the number of members who were opposed to the choice of Bethea had not been significant.
He explained that the 13-0 vote in favor of Pedersen reflected the council's desire to present a united front behind the interim city manager.
"I think everybody believed there was a need to show unanimous support for the person we chose as city manager," McKissick said.
Tennyson agreed, but said the council had not made an explicit decision to vote unanimously.
The council also selected a search firm, Slavin Management Consultants, to find a permanent replacement for Ewell-a task they hope to complete within six months.
Tennyson said the new city manager should be able to deal with Durham's unique needs. "Durham is a city that needs a manager who is able to work in an environment of rich diversity and who can bring creative solutions to bear on our problems or challenges with our kind of redevelopment," Tennyson said.
Ewell also pointed out some of the challenges Bethea and his permanent replacement will face.
"I think at this point it will just be to continue to work on the American Tobacco [project]... and to work on the 5,000-seat theater," Ewell said. "I think we need good smart growth as a principle of philosophy."
Bethea said he was not interested in becoming permanent city manager.
Tennyson said he did not know if Pedersen would apply for the permanent position, and that he was not aware of any other internal candidates.
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