Fernley Council Names Consultant to Interim City Manager Post

In what appears to be a move to put even further distance between the city and the 10-year tenure of former City Manager Gary Bacock, the Fernley City Council approved the appointment of consultant Greg Evangelatos as the city's Interim City Manager during yesterday's regular session.
The two outside contenders for the job included Evangelatos and former Community Development Director Robert "Terry" Gilbert. The council also had the option of continuing current Community Development Director Fred Turnier in the position, but the council agreed that Turnier would be spread too thin trying to function in two key jobs at once. Turnier was named Acting City Manager at the December 17 council meeting following the council's issuance of a resignation ultimatum to Bacock.
While all of the council members praised the talent and experience of both candidates, it quickly become clear that Evangelatos had gained the confidence of a majority on the panel.
Councilman Cal Eilrich, Ward 5, initially indicated that he could vote for either candidate, however, there came a tipping point in his deliberations and said he was throwing his support behind Evangelatos.
"I talked with the City Manager of Sparks and his comment stuck with me," Eilrich said. "He told me the City is still reaping the benefits of Greg having worked with the City for the time he did."
Curt Chaffin, Ward 4, concurred: "We have three people who are exceedingly good. We're very fortunate to have to make this difficult decision. But, after giving this a lot of thought, I would vote for Mr. Evangelatos."
Perhaps one of the most telling endorsements in terms of the council's collective mindset came from newly sworn in Ward 1 Councilwoman Kelly Malloy. As she discussed her reasoning for supporting Evangelatos, Malloy said, "We need to move forward and heal as a city."
With an eye on the city's coffers, Ward 3 Councilman Monte Martin said he believed that Turnier would be best suited to stay in as the Interim City Manager, which he pointed out would be the least costly to the City.
However, with a clear majority of the council clearly backing Evangelatos, Eilrich moved to extend a three-month contract to Evangelatos with the provision for one-month extensions as needed while the search for a permanent City Manager is being conducted. The compensation was set at the lowest rung on the City Manager's pay scale, which would be approximately $6,859 per month.
The motion to appoint Evangelatos as Interim City Manager passed unanimously and he is slated to start work January 14.
Evangelatos has a Master's Degree in Regional and City Planning from the University of Oklahoma. He has been a Private Consultant/Land Specialist since 2007, and his resume lists positions that include Vice President and Principal Planner for FPE Engineering, and Director of Community Planning and Development for the City of Sparks.
The Search Begins...
After the council gave its nod to the appointment of Evangelatos, the discussion turned to the process of finding a permanent replacement for Bacock. Mayor Todd Cutler quickly pointed out that he should be running the show in terms of interviewing prospects and developing a short list of candidates for the council to consider.
"The role of the Mayor and City Manager and our ability to work together is critical," Cutler said. "I would ask that you put me in charge of the recruiting process so I can form a committee to conduct interviews and bring finalists for the council to review."
Cutler then outlined an aggressive timeline for the process that would produce a final field of candidates by the first of April. Following some discussion as to whether the Mayor should have discretion in appointing members of the search committee, the council gave Cutler the green light to move forward in a 3-1 vote, with Martin dissenting.