Mayor Marlowe to Take over as Newberry City Manager

NEWBERRY – During the Feb. 10 City Commission meeting, commissioners agreed that Mayor Jordan Marlowe will step into the city manager’s position.

This, despite the fact that at the last meeting, Marlowe was tasked with contacting the former Director of Parks & Recreation Travis Parker to see if he might be willing to come back to Newberry as the next city manager.  

Marlowe did so and reported that he “had three or four meetings with Parker and it turns out that this is not the right time for his family to embark on a new endeavor.”  

In light of Parker’s response, Commissioner Rick Coleman proposed that Mayor Pro-Tem Mark Clark negotiate and execute a contract with Mayor Jordan Marlowe to take over the City Manager position when current City Manager Mike New leaves his post effective Feb. 24.

As part two of Coleman’s motion, he said that he thought the Commission should empower Marlowe to negotiate and execute an employment agreement with Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Dallas Lee to serve as Interim City Manager.  Coleman’s two-part motion was seconded by Commissioner Tony Mazon.

In response, Marlowe commented that “Newberry is on a fantastic trajectory…I don’t want that to change.  I want to keep us moving in the direction that Mr. New created.  So I am willing to enter into those negotiations.”  

He mentioned two caveats:  First, he said he needed to be able to complete the school year.  “I have to get my kids ready for four or five different college-level exams.”  Due to concerns over budgetary challenges, he said he would be willing to do the job for a lot less than Coleman suggested in his motion.  

Questioned whether he would also run for mayor, he said, “The Charter doesn’t allow this any longer.  I would not run for mayor.”

During discussion, commissioners indicated that they would prefer not to take on an expensive search for a new city manager, which could cost upwards of $150,000 between advertising and interviewing candidates from out of town.  Newberry Commissioners said they would prefer someone local who understands the City’s ongoing projects and funding needs.  

Opening the motion up for public comment, some speakers indicated they thought Marlowe would be an excellent choice for city manager, but most thought the process should be transparent.  

Travis Adair called the action of the commission “another scheme the commissioners decided behind closed doors.”  He thought the process should be transparent and called the commission action “anti democratic and disgusting.”

Former City Commissioner Joy Glanzer spoke on behalf of the action and indicated her support for Marlowe as the next city manager.  Another former commissioner Jason McGehee agreed with Adair that the process should be open and transparent.  He also indicated he thought Marlowe would be a good choice.

Naim Erched also suggested that although Marlowe is “extremely knowledgeable” and said that Marlowe’s “experience and qualifications are evident,” he too thought the process should be transparent.  Rob Baker pointed to the “mess” created at the school board in not selecting a leader in a public forum.

Marlowe pointed out that if the city didn’t follow the same process as they did when they decided Travis Parker was the man they wanted, it would make this a political process.

As the mayor and city manager positions cannot be combined according to the Charter, Marlowe would have to step down from the mayoral seat to permit him serving as the city manager.  

Following discussion and citizen comments, the commission voted unanimously to approve Coleman’s motion.

The City’s election is coming up on April 8, 2025, and the mayor’s seat is one of the positions that will need to be filled.  

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