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Decherd has been without a city administrator since late February and needs to get one as soon as possible, according to Alderman John Corak.

Corak brought up the subject at the end of a special budget meeting at City Hall on Aug. 29.

Mayor Mary Nell Hess told him that discussing the issue should wait because it was not on the board’s agenda for the meeting.

However, Corak said he has pushed several times in the past to have the board consider the issue, but his requests have not been addressed. He added that he wanted to discuss the subject on Aug. 29.

The board, in a 3-2 vote, fired City Administrator Rex Clark in June 2022, and the position was filled in an interim capacity by Water Department Superintendent Eric Bradford.

However, Bradford resigned from the position in February, and the board followed through by calling on the Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service to handle the process to fill the vacancy. In the meantime, Hess has been taking care of city-administrator duties.

Corak and Alderman Justin Stubblefield questioned how effective just going through MTAS would be to get qualified candidates. Corak said the field should be broadened.

However, Hess said that anyone with experience and interest in a city administrator’s position would go through MTAS in job searches.

Alderman Larry Fraley said MTAS has a well-known presence and echoed Hess’ assessment about the agency’s effectiveness in the job-search process.

Corak still stressed that Decherd needs to get a full-time, qualified city administrator.

“You’re not a city administrator,” he said to Hess, adding later: “We can’t get by without one.”