Imagine the collective shock and disappointment as the townspeople of Mancos heard that a popular town administrator had been asked to resign.

Granted, the Mancos code states that the town administrator serves at the discretion of the board of trustees, however, I would remind the board that they serve at the discretion of the voters.

In the interest of transparency, voters deserve a more complete explanation other than the Mancos Board of Trustees wants “another direction.”

It seemed Mancos was going in a positive and forward direction under the town administrator’s very capable guidance. What is the direction that the town board now wants to adopt?

The body of institutional knowledge amassed by the former town administrator, taking on the large construction projects, volunteer boards, consulting and developing relationships with townspeople, folks in the county and around the state, handling the complexities of the Mancos Municipal Code, the building code (and doing it with fairness and attention to detail) has just been tossed out the window.

Unless there was egregious criminal behavior, isn’t possible that instead of dismissal, other avenues could have been explored? How do you expect to find a competent replacement, when this is how you treat people? Who is going to come here, buy a house, possibly put kids in school and attempt to put down roots only to be axed a few years in for some nebulous reason?

The town of Mancos is waiting for the board to share its plan.

Holly B. Rankin

Mancos