Chapel Hill Technology Advisory Committee

["Gregg Gerdau" <gregg AT gdgerdau.com>]

Title: Message

The Herald-Sun
February 15, 2006   10:13 pm

CHAPEL HILL -- Town Manager Cal Horton, Chapel Hill's top administrator for more than a decade, plans to announce his retirement today.

In a letter that council members received Wednesday, Horton said he planned to retire Sept. 1. The letter said he would tell the heads of town departments of his plans Wednesday, and that he would make a public announcement today.

Chapel Hill Town Council members said they heard from Horton on Wednesday and knew he planned to make an announcement today, but they largely deferred comment until after that time.

"I really want to defer to him, and let him make the announcement," said council member Laurin Easthom. "I think he's done an amazing job."

However, council member Sally Greene was asked about the matter after it was mentioned Wednesday on a popular local blog. Greene said Horton called her that day and said he wanted to let council members know in advance that he planned to retire. She said Horton did not tell her at that time he didn't want the news to be public until today.

Greene said she posted the news on an e-mail listserv that she has for council matters. That information then was picked up and posted on the blog.

Greene said she subsequently discovered Horton wanted to make the public announcement today, and Greene said she would not have posted the information on her listserv had she known that. Later in the day, she received the letter from Horton, in which he announced his plans.

"It has been an honor to serve as the Town Manager of Chapel Hill and I am grateful for the experience," Horton wrote. "I am particularly grateful for the opportunity to work with such engaged Council Members and for the support of a truly outstanding staff."

Horton's decision to retire follows closely on the heels of a similar announcement by long-time Orange County Manager John Link Jr., who said last week he would leave his post at the end of August. Link has been county manager for 18 years.

The town of Chapel Hill also lost its longtime planning director last summer, when Roger Waldon retired after 21 years to work in the private sector.

Horton, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening, first came to Chapel Hill in the late 1980s as public safety director. He became town manager a few years later.

In that position, he is responsible for coordinating all day-to-day operations of the town and has been responsible for the overall management of town services under the direction of the mayor and council. The manager is also responsible for various support services to the mayor and council and directs, coordinates and evaluates the performance of town services.

One of the most critical duties of the manager is crafting an annual budget proposal, and carrying out the budget that is ultimately adopted by the council.

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