MEIGS, Ga. —  A final vote on whether to hire a new city manager in Meigs will take place at a public special session Tuesday, April 2.

The Meigs City Council met with retired engineer David Piland for an interview during executive session March 26 but withheld making a final decision.

Piland previously worked as a supervisor for the Oil-Dri Corporation of America in Ochlocknee for approximately 40 years and is now employed as a firefighter and emergency medical technician for Thomas County and also works extensively in disaster relief.

If hired by the city council, Piland will make approximately $25 per hour and work 24 to 25 hours each week.

Mayor Cheryl Walters said Meigs has not had a city manager since Al Bryan departed in 2016 and that Piland will face several hurdles if he is hired.

The mayor said among the responsibilities Piland faces if he is hired Tuesday includes addressing downtown decay and bringing the city’s financials up to date from several years of neglect as well as supervising all city employees.

As city manger, Piland would oversee Meigs’ three municipal departments: administration, public works and the police department.

“Administration has our two city clerks and public works and the police department have their supervisors, but the city manager is over all of the city employees,” Walters said.

Walters said Piland’s supervisory experience over large numbers of employees and strong engineering background make him an intriguing candidate for the council to consider, but she could not guarantee how the final vote would swing.

The mayor said delaying the vote until next week gives the council members time to go through Piland’s qualifications, review the contract drawn up by city attorney Thomas Lehman and speak with references before making a final decision.

“We’re giving the city council the chance to review his resume and review the interview and then we’re giving them a few days to make up their minds and then we’ll come back on Tuesday and have the final vote,” Walters said.

The city council previously voted 5-0 March 18 to interview a candidate to fill the vacant city manager position.

Walters said at the March 18 meeting that she believed Meigs needed a city manager but felt a disproportionate amount of work in searching for suitable candidates was placed on her shoulders and encouraged the council members to take the project into their own hands.

Council member Tommy White offered to set up a meeting with a candidate and the mayor said she would attend the interview.