McCandless town manager resigns

McCandless Town Manager Brian O’Malley will be stepping down June 14, with town council voting to accept his resignation at the council meeting on May 20.

“After much reflection and consideration, I believe this is the right step for both personal and professional reasons,” O’Malley said.

O’Malley started at McCandless in August 2022, and said he is proud of the progress that has taken place over that time.

“From sidewalk improvements, zoning improvements, park improvements and to fostering a sense of unity among residents, our collective efforts have contributed to making McCandless an even better place to live and work,” he said.

Council plans to appoint an interim manager to oversee day-to-day operations and has created a search committee to hire the next manager.

The interim likely would be appointed at the June 10 meeting. The job will be posted on the municipal website and shared with appropriate job boards, according to John Bojarski, spokesperson for the Town of McCandless.

Overall, council’s goal is to ensure a seamless transition of leadership and to appoint a capable individual who will continue to build upon the progress of the municipality, according to Jason Singer, council president, who expressed appreciation for O’Malley.

“He has done wonders for us in the town in his short period here. He’s been a great addition. He will be thoroughly missed by council, by administration, and by the residents of the town,” Singer said.

The town manager is the chief executive officer of the town, responsible for planning, directing and coordinating all municipal programs and departmental functions to ensure they conform with municipal policy directives, rules and regulations, and applicable municipal laws, according to a description on the Town of McCandless website.

The manager also supervises the work of all municipal employees, either directly or through supervisory personnel, per the description.

Council member Joe Wall commented at the meeting on O’Malley’s successful efforts in obtaining public funding for the community from the state.