Town Manager

Hampstead filled its vacant town manager position last night at a special meeting of the Town Council, and those in attendance learned that the proposed new post office may be located in the downtown business district after all.After Ken Decker, 36, of Sparks was sworn in as town manager and zoning administrator, Mayor Christopher M. Nevin and Councilman Stephen A. Holland gave a brief update on the issue of building a new post office on the old Hampstead Elementary...

SUDLERSVILLE - Dale Mumford travels light, toting a laptop, a briefcase and a wealth of governmental experience to little towns like this rural crossroads that punctuates the flat brown expanse of corn and soy bean fields in northeastern Queen Anne's County. It's just one stop for the circuit-riding town manager who traverses the Eastern Shore, sorting out the nitty-gritty details of self-governance in places where there are barely enough citizens to run for office or volunteer on boards and commissions.

Town leaders in Manchester are facing some major strategy decisions before drafting a budget for fiscal 1997.Mayor Elmer Lippy and the Town Council will consider re- organizing the town staff and implementing a 10-step salary scale, as recommended by David Warner, Manchester's temporary part-time town manager.Mr. Warner gave his ideas to town leaders several months ago but met with what he termed an "unenthusiastic" response.The revised plan, presented at a recent Town Council meeting, summarized his ideas for streamlining management of the town.

Two public wells that were closed because of their proximity to a toxic cleanup site could be reconnected to Hampstead's water supply, if test results convince state officials the wells are safe. Hampstead's Town Council has taken the first step toward drawing water from the wells that the town voluntarily closed in the early 1990s, when Black & Decker Corp. began a cleanup of contamination at its plant south of town. The council approved Tuesday night a $5,590 contract with Maryland Environmental Services to begin tests on the wells.

A Monday deadline looms, but few signatures have been turned in at the Manchester Town Hall for a petition to bring to referendum a charter amendment that shifts power from the mayor and town manager to the Town Council.The charter amendment was passed by Town Council on Sept. 14. It will take effect Nov. 3, unless 20 percent of Manchester's registered voters sign the petition by Monday.As of yesterday, 1,311 Manchester residents were registered to vote. If that figure does not change by Monday, 262 signatures will be needed for the petition to succeed.

Hampstead Town Manager John A. Riley, who is also a town councilman in Manchester, may be forced to choose between the two posts, the Maryland attorney general's office said Wednesday.Holding both positions simultaneously violates Article 35 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights, Assistant Attorney General Robert A. Zarnoch wrote in an advisory opinion to state Sen. Idamae Garrott, D-Montgomery.The opinion could mean that Mr. Riley will have to resign one of the two jobs."It looks like he's going to have to make a choice," Hampstead Mayor Clint Becker said yesterday.

Manchester will begin again the process of looking for a new town manager.The mayor and council's first choice said "no thanks" just before being offered the job."The fellow we thought was just what we wanted, we had already selected from maybe 40 applicants," said Mayor Elmer C. Lippy Jr., who makes the appointment with council approval."We just swooned," he said. "But it turned sour, and we were all stunned."The candidate withdrew hours after learning that the job does not provide benefits, Lippy said.

In a work session last night on revisions to the Manchester town charter, the Town Council began to shift power to the office of the mayor.After a brief business meeting, the council met to consider the first draft of revisions to the town charter. When the charter revision is completed, the town code will also be revamped.Three council members said last night they favor rescinding a key provision of a controversial charter amendment passed last year. That amendment increased the council's power to fire the town manager, at the expense of the mayor's power.

Hampstead officials are searching for a manager to operate the town swimming pool from Memorial Day to Labor Day.Applicants, who must have or be able to obtain state certification to operate a pool, should apply to Neil Ridgely, Town Manager, Hampstead Town Hall, 1034 S. Carroll St.Mr. Ridgely said repairs will be made this spring to the concession stand roof at the pool, which is on Sugar Maple Court.

The town council in Manchester is prepared to jettison an important notion in American democracy -- the system of checks and balances. By a 3-1 vote, with Councilwoman Charlotte Collett absent, the council this week approved an amendment to Manchester's charter that would strip from the mayor the power to hire and fire the appointed town manager and hand it to the council.Manchester residents have 40 days to petition to bring the proposed change to a referendum vote or it takes effect. In the meantime, council members ought to carefully ponder the consequences of their action.