The Town of Elizabethtown held a special called virtual meeting on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, at 7 p.m. via a Zoom Call. The town council went into Closed Session in accordance with NCGS 143-318.11(a)(6) to discuss personnel shortly after the meeting was called to order.
After over an hour in closed session the board members were once again visible to the public in attendance on the Zoom call.
Council member Howell Clark made a motion to approve Dane Rideout as the new Town Manager subject to being able to enter into contract agreeable to both parties and following the required background check and credit reference. A second was echoed by multiple board members and the motion carried with a unanimous vote.
Mayor Sylvia Campbell ended the meeting stating, “It’s great when we can all be in unanimous support of somebody.”
“The Mayor and Town Council feel fortunate to find someone of his experience and background. We look forward to a great future together,” Mayor Campbell added in a statement released Thursday morning.
Town of Elizabethtown Communications Director Terri Dennison gave some background on the potential new manager. Mr. Rideout is currently the town manager in Bluefield, WV. He wants to move to this area and owns property at Bay Tree. He’s very familiar with what has been going on because he has been following the current town manager, Eddie Madden’s career.
Dennison said, “He’s done a lot to help the city of Bluefield. We certainly are going to miss Eddie, but I think Mr. Rideout will be good to continue the progress we are making here in Elizabethtown.”
According to Dennison, the town council is working on the salary and contract. Mr. Rideout has to give a 60 day notice. No firm hire date has been decided.
Rideout is a retired colonel and was once a garrison commander of West Point. He is a 1990 graduate of Ball State University and served in the United States Marines for 25 years. In 2014, Col. Rideout became Bluefield’s city manager.
In the past, Col. Rideout also served as deputy of the 14th Human Resources Sustainment Center at Fort Bragg, N.C. and was assigned as the division G-1 for the 82nd Airborne Division.
According to his West Point Biography, Col. Rideout served in the Joint Special Operations Task Force, on the ground in Northern Iraq supporting combat operations across the Iraq northern front.
Mayor Campbell said in a statement Thursday morning, “Mr. Rideout will be replacing Mr. Eddie Madden, who will be leaving to take the job of County Manager in Columbus County.”
Dennison also released his resume Thursday morning. View it here: Dane Rideout’s resume.
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