The Town of Pulaski is seeking an experienced professional to serve as Town Manager, the chief administrative officer responsible for directing programs and operations of the Town government. The current manager is retiring at the end of the year.

The Town provides a range of services to its citizens and businesses, including police and fire services, parks, sanitation, water and wastewater services, road maintenance, financial and administrative support services.

The Town operates under the Council-Manager form of government (as defined by Charter). The Town is governed by a six-member Town Council, elected at large for four-year terms, with elections staggered at two-year intervals. The Mayor, elected every two years, presides over the meetings of the Council, but votes only in the event of a tie. Council members meet in January after an election to select a Vice-Chair to serve a two-year term. The Town Council is the legislative policy-making body for the town government. It enacts ordinances, adopts the annual budget, appropriates funds, sets tax rates, establishes policies, and adopts plans for town growth and development.

Town Council appoints a Town Manager who serves as the administrative head of the Town. The Town Manager appoints department heads. The current Town Manager is retiring after three years of service to the community. The Town has approximately 104 employees. The Town has approximately 4,000 water and sewer customers. Trash collection is provided by a contract with a new service provider as of January 1, 2023. The Town treats and distributes drinking water and its wastewater is collected and pumped to facilities operated by the Pepper’s Ferry Wastewater Authority. Property maintenance, streets, water and sewer, and the garage operations report to a General Superintendent of Public Works.

The Town of Pulaski provides excellent law enforcement and code enforcement to its citizens. The Department is an accredited member of the Virginia law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission. It has three divisions, Uniform Patrol, Investigations, and Professional Standards and Support Services. The Department has 28 active sworn officers.

The Town of Pulaski provides fire protection for town residents and supports the surrounding communities. The Fire Department serves all areas within the Town limits and much of Pulaski County. It is the only paid, 24/7 staffed Fire Department in the county. Made up of eleven (11) full and twenty (20) to twenty-five (25) volunteer staff. The strength of the staff and training, the newness of the equipment, response times, distances traveled to a fire, and water availability and pressure have helped the Town achieve an ISO Rating of 4, helping keep insurance rates down for the community.

The Pulaski Library is part of the Pulaski County Public Library System. This system has two Library Branches. In addition to the one in the Town of Pulaski, there is a branch in Dublin.

The Town of Pulaski has approximately 104 FTE employees, and a FY23 balanced budget of $9.8 million, excluding utilities. The Water, Sewer, and Refuse budgets total an additional $7.8 million.

The Town Council appoints a Town Manager to act as Chief Administrative Officer of the Town. The Town Manager serves at pleasure of the Council, carries out its policies, and directs business procedures. This person is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the town government and manages and supervises all departments, agencies, and offices of the town, except the Town Attorney, who reports directly to the Council. The Town Council also appoints the Town Clerk who reports to the Town Manager. The Town Manager is responsible for developing and, upon adoption by the Council, implementing annual operating and capital budgets. The Town Manager recommends policies and priorities for the Council’s consideration and leads the Town workforce in delivering services and responding to citizen issues or concerns. The Town Manager serves as a liaison between the Town Council, the judiciary, regional, state, and local agencies and authorities, and community organizations. He or she is a member of local and regional committees, commissions, and authorities.

Issues, Challenges, & Opportunities

1. A top issue of the Town is economic development. This will include continuing efforts to develop the Main Street and downtown area, including streetscape projects. Development and scheduling, including budget development for on-going and future projects will be needed. Grant monies and low interest loans will be sought to assist in these projects.

2. A major priority of the Town is housing. The Town is building new homes through the Acquire-Rehabilitate-Sell (ARS) program for first-time home buyers. The Town has two tracts of land and is planning for new housing. In addition, Pulaski County owns two former school buildings in the Town and is working with developers to convert these into apartments. New apartments are also being created downtown. The Town anticipates over 300 new homes will be added within the next three years. The Town plans to continue to purchase delinquent tax properties to rehabilitate and to build new homes using state programs.

3. The Town will need to continue to access and develop projects to finance and upgrade existing water and sewer lines. Improvement of these utilities is required due to the age and conditions of the system in order to maintain service reliability at cost competitive rates and to accommodate current and future growth.

4. Although the fiscal budget is balanced and the Town experiences a growing fund balance, it has been challenged with financial constraints in the past. It will be necessary for the new Town Manager to strengthen the Town’s financial sustainability and resiliency and find revenue streams to help with maintaining and growing the Town’s financial reserves. A Capital Improvement Program is in place and needs to be maintained to guide future development.

5. The Town has an excellent and competent staff. Several key positions are currently unfilled or will become open soon due to retirements. The new Town Manager will need to develop strong working relationships with staff, evaluate organizational staffing needs, and recruit for open positions. These include but are not limited to the Town Engineer and Deputy Town Manager.

6. The Town would like to expand its economic development efforts and opportunities. It is currently partnering with Pulaski County and Virginia’s First Authority. The Town is very involved with downtown development and restaurant recruitment. The new Manager will need to work closely with private developers on the former Calfee School renovations, a new Brewery Project, and other development and redevelopment projects.
7. Having moved from an industrial town setting, the Town’s newly adopted Comprehensive Plan (2023) guides its future to explore possibilities and expand opportunities in multiple ways, while retaining and growing its population.

8. A new Town Manager should evaluate and propose upgrades and relocations for Town facilities. This would include renovation to the Town Fire Department and relocation of the Police Department.

While the position is open until filled, the formal review of applicants will begin September 15, 2023.