Hardy

Updated Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.
Eric Hardy is stepping down after 2 1/2 years as the Town of Davidson’s first finance director to become the City of Asheville’s controller. Meanwhile, the town has set an Oct. 1 deadline for nominations for the 2011 Jack Burney community service award and is also seeking applicants for volunteer seats on town boards and committees.

HARDY LEAVING

Town finance director Eric Hardy, who joined the town in April 2009, has told town officials he is leaving to take a job with the City of Asheville, as its controller. Town Manager Leamon Brice announced Mr. Hardy’ resignation at Tuesday night’s monthly Town Board meeting.

In April, finance director Eric Hardy showed the Town Board a slide noting that the town is spending less than expected from its reserves. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Linda Hollifield-Rogozinski, the former  director of finance and risk management for the city of Burlington, has been appointed interim finance director until a permanent replacement can be found. She retired in March 2010 after 15 years in Burlington.

Mr. Hardy said after the meeting that his last day will be Sept. 23. His new job will be a step up: Asheville’s population is about 83,000, compared with Davidson’s 10,000, and he’ll be managing a city budget of about $132 million, compared with Davidson’s $9 million.

The move also brings him closer to family, including some in Knoxville, Tenn. Before coming to Davidson, Mr. Hardy had held municipal finance jobs in Union County, N.C., Rock Hill, S.C., and Wilson, N.C.

In a statement, he said: “I am excited about my new position and I’m happy to be closer to family and friends, but it’s going to be very difficult to leave Davidson. I have many friends here, and I love this town. Davidson has had its financial challenges, but it’s moving in the right direction. The town is currently doing a good job of balancing revenues with expenses despite a challenging economy. I feel very good about where Davidson is right now financially, and I feel even better about where the town is headed.”

“We will really miss Eric,” Mr. Brice said Tuesday night. “He’s become a real part of the team.”

In Davidson, Mr. Hardy was behind a major overhaul of the town’s budgeting process over the past two years.

“He has been the town’s first finance director, and as the Town has grown and financial and economic issues have grown in complexity,” Mayor John Woods said Wednesday. “In a relatively short tenure with us, he has created organizational and internal financial controls which we intend to continue. He has established the pattern for what we hope to see in a future finance director.”

Added Commissioner Laurie Venzon: “Eric was instrumental in enhancing the town’s financial procedures and processes, as well as, improving the financial analyses necessary to make good decisions. More importantly, Eric was able to communicate the numbers in a way that people could understand.”

Davidson had sought a finance director for months in 2008-9 before landing Mr. Hardy. It came close to hiring someone on a couple of occasions, and re-advertised the position before hiring Mr. Hardy.

Ms. Hollifield-Rogozinski will start work Tuesday, Sept. 20. She’ll have a few days with Mr. Hardy before he leaves, then work three days a week, Mr. Brice said Wednesday.

Ms. Hollifield-Rogozinski said in a town press release Wednesday evening that she is eager to come out of retirement and take on the interim job.  “I’m hearing good things about how they (Davidson employees) work together, and I think that’s going to be important as we search for a permanent person to fill this position. I am hopeful also that my experience over the years will allow me to contribute something positive to such a beautiful, growing town.”

Mr. Brice said it could take 4 to 6 months to hire a permanent replacement, which means she will work with the town’s auditors on the annual audit in the coming weeks, then start on the 2012 budget.

NOMINATE A NEIGHBOR FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

The Town of Davidson is accepting nominations through Oct. 1 for the G. Jackson Burney Community Service Award. The Award honors the late Mr. Burney and those who improve the Davidson community through unselfish service. The annual award is presented each November at a community event at Town Hall the Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving.

Mr. Burney was dedicated to improving the quality of life around him, including his dealings with the town. He created the first town newsletter, and published several other newsletters, including one for Davidson Downtown. He also supported town initiatives by volunteering his organizational, critical analysis and leadership skills.

Professionally, Mr. Burney helped to create the Charlotte Census tracts for the U.S. Department of Commerce and he ran the Charlotte Chamber Economic Development program for 10 years. He was a White House delegate to a conference on Balanced Growth and Economic Development and a technical advisor to the North Carolina Governor’s Conference on Balanced Growth.

Previous winners include:

• 2010 – Ralph Quackenbush
• 2009 – Jane Ellithorpe
• 2008 – John & Paula Kelton
• 2007 – Scotty Nicholls
• 2006 – Baxter & John Fisher and Evelyn Carr & Annie Mildred Lowery
• 2005 – William B. Mayhew
• 2004 – Bernice Houston

Nominations are accepted online at www.ci.davidson.nc.us/burneynomination or in person or by phone at Town Hall. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 1.

VOLUNTEER FOR A CITIZEN BOARD

Interested in getting involved in shaping Davidson’s future? Now’s your chance: The Town of Davidson is now accepting applications for 2011 appointments to its advisory boards.

All applications are due by October 15. A committee will review all applications and nominate citizens for each position. The Town Board will vote on nominees at its November 2011 meeting, and new appointees will be seated in January.

Boards and committees include everything from the Planning and Design Review Boards to the Greenways, Tails and Bikeways and Natural Assets boards. For more information on advisory boards and their functions, visit the “Boards and Commissions” page on the town website.

To fill out an online application for advisory boards, CLICK HERE»