THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 1, 1995 TAG: 9506010415
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Ralph Clark, Elizabeth City manager for more than four years, shocked the City Council Wednesday night by resigning at a budget meeting.
Clark, 48, will leave on June 30 to become the city manager of Clayton, a 6,000-population town just southeast of Raleigh that he has managed twice before.
``The council and I weren't running in sync,'' Clark said after the council accepted his resignation following a brief closed session. ``There just didn't seem to be any way we were going to get there.''
Clark acknowledged that personality differences with some council members had strained relations between him and the board in the past several months. He would not name specific council members.
A couple of members, including Anita Hummer and A.C. Robinson Jr., have publicly said in recent meetings that Clark was not responding well to council members' needs.
In his brief and cordial resignation letter, Clark said he was resigning ``in the interest of the citizens, employees, you and myself.'' He expressed his appreciation ``to you and the citizens for the opportunity to serve Elizabeth City during these four-plus years and the many challenges that I had the opportunity to work on.''
Clark circulated the letter to council members at the beginning of the budget session, which continued for more than two hours before his resignation was mentioned.
``I was totally blown away,'' said Mayor H. Rick Gardner, who had been on the council when Clark was hired and was informed of his decision Wednesday morning. ``It came out of the blue. I don't know when I've ever been more surprised than I was.
``Ralph Clark has done an outstanding job for Elizabeth City and will be extremely difficult to replace. Men of his character, his honesty and integrity are extremely difficult to find,'' Gardner said.
The council will begin searching for a replacement at its meeting Monday night, Gardner said. Clark said the search process typically lasts about four months.
Most council members departed quickly after accepting the resignation. Robinson lingered to shake Clark's hand and wish him well.
``I don't think anything that has been said has strained anything,'' Robinson said. ``Whoever is fortunate to get (Clark's) graces will be blessed. He's a very likable man.''
Clark, who was making $65,600 in his Elizabeth City position, will take a pay cut to return to Clayton. His wife still lives in nearby Smithfield, N.C., where he also served as manager.
Clark said the decision, reached last night, has left him ``A lot more relaxed. . . . I went home and slept all night.''
CLark, who has managed in five cities, said Elizabeth City was probably the most difficult because of high utility rates and a sub-par water system. He said he was proud to have reined in the electric rates and sorry to be leaving in the middle of a multimillion-dollar water and sewer project.
At the meeting Wednesday, the council voted to raise ad valorem taxes by a penny to balance the 1995-96 general fund with about $42,000 in added revenue. City employees will receive a 2 1/2 percent raise, and some will get up to 5 percent based on a pay study completed this year.
The council also voted to increase sewer rates by 5 percent, about 48 cents per month in the average home, to pay for repainting the downtown water tower.
Clark said his recent friction with the board was a natural extension of being a ``fairly aggressive manager.'' MEMO: Staff Writer Anne Saita contributed to this story.
by CNB