By Shay Bowman
Former Buena Vista Police Chief Wayne Handley has begun the transition to interim city manager, but city council is still trying to decide who will fill a vacant council seat.
At its Feb. 5 meeting, council unanimously voted to appoint Handley as interim city manager. He will replace Jason Tyree, who resigned in January.
The city also needs to fill a council seat left open after Steve Webb resigned in January.
Last year, Handley announced plans to retire as chief of police, effective June 30. But his appointment to interim city manager expedited his retirement from the Buena Vista Police Department.
Change of scenery
On Monday, Handley started his role as interim city manager and Buena Vista Assistant Police Chief Dave Clements began his tenure as interim police chief.
City council member Amy Gilliam said she thinks Handley provides consistency and familiarity, while the search for a more permanent candidate begins.
“We pursued many different avenues which didn’t pan out,” Gilliam said. “He has good rapport with the current members. He is very approachable.”
Tyree said Handley will shadow him for about a month. Tyree plans for his last day in the city manager’s office to be March 15, exactly five years after he began the position in 2021.
Handley said he has no intention of applying for the permanent city manager position, but hopes he can provide stability during the search.
“I will be working diligently to keep the momentum of current projects moving forward and hopefully providing stability and steady leadership for the workforce,” Handley wrote in an email.
He said he already has a basic understanding of the city manager role because he has worked closely with Tyree since he was first appointed as police chief.
“It has always been my belief that every department head should learn as much as possible about the workings of other departments,” Handley wrote. “Seems that was a good decision in light of the current transitions.”
City Council’s Timeline
Council also voted last week to table the appointment of an interim city council member to fill the seat left vacant by Webb’s resignation.
The city will revisit the appointment at its next meeting on Feb. 19, which will be six weeks after Webb’s resignation, council members said. That date is only a few days before the end of the 45-day period the city has to name an interim city council member.
Five people applied for the interim council position. City worker Krista Carter, math teacher Jacob Zimmerman, business owner Frank Huffman III, retired wastewater plant worker Stanley Coffey and funeral home worker William Kerr all submitted applications.
The applicant selected will fill Webb’s unexpired term until a special election can be held in November to elect someone to serve the final year of the term.
Gilliam said the council “easily came to a consensus” during the executive session at the Feb. 5 meeting. But she said a vote will not take place until the next meeting.
Buena Vista City Attorney Brian Kearney said the consensus is “not binding” and anyone on city council can and may change their mind before the next meeting.
What the candidates have to say
Carter said if she is appointed, one of her main focuses would be on funding. “We’re having a lot of issues with the budget and a lot of opinions of what we can do to fix those issues,” she said. “I already am a city worker, so I feel like I bring that skill set to the table to help contribute to that conversation.”
Coffey, who said he has lived in Buena Vista his whole life, has been on city council before. He was elected to the city council in 2016 and served for six years. Then, in 2024, he won a special election to fill the final year of an unexpired term. He unsuccessfully ran for reelection last year.
“I’m not a person that says or does things just to get votes,” Coffey said. “I say things and do things to try to help the people in the city. That’s the reason I’m running. That’s the only reason I’ve ever run.”
Zimmerman also grew up in Buena Vista. He said his main concerns are the aging schools, infrastructure needs and housing shortages.
“I have witnessed Buena Vista explode with activity that wasn’t present when I was growing up,” Zimmerman said. “I applied because I wanted to be a part of the decision-making process that helps make Buena Vista a place where people can live, work and raise a family.”
Huffman, who has run for city council in the past, did not respond to requests for comment. In his application, he wrote that his “lifelong residency, business experience, family ties and active participation in the recent election” demonstrate his commitment to Buena Vista.
Kerr also did not respond to requests for comment. In his application, he said he has lived in Buena Vista his entire life and seen the city go through many changes.
“I have witnessed what our community can once again become,” he wrote. “I have seen new growth firsthand and am eager to contribute my professional skills to ensure our city continues to thrive.”
The appointment of the interim city council member is expected to be on the agenda at the next city council meeting on Feb. 19.