After a months-long search, members of the Signal Mountain Town Council have voted unanimously to approve an employment contract with Matthew Trollinger to serve as the town's manager.
"It kind of checked all the boxes professionally and personally for me," Trollinger said in a phone interview.
The new role allows him to work in a bigger town with more employees and a larger budget than his current position in the town of Somerset, Maryland, where Trollinger has served as town manager for about five years, he said.
"When you're in public service, you want to be making an impact on people, so the opportunity to do that for more people is exciting," Trollinger said.
The town of Signal Mountain's population is nearly 9,000, and the town of Somerset's population is around 1,000, according to 2020 U.S. Census Bureau data.
"It's a safe community with great schools, beautiful bucolic views and mountain vistas," Trollinger said of Signal Mountain. "I can hardly imagine living in a more beautiful area.
"On top of that it's right next to the city in Chattanooga, so you have accessibility to some of those city amenities there."
(READ MORE: Vicki Anderson to step down from Signal Mountain Town Council)
He said goals he shares with the council members as he takes on his new role are to ensure the town has long-term fiscal stability and financial records are well-kept.
"Another thing is taking a look at the different policies and procedures that have been adopted and making sure that we have a way to ensure that they're being followed to the letter of the law," Trollinger said, adding that he would like to approach the job with a customer service mindset.
Trollinger will be paid $135,000 per year, plus $600 per month in vehicle allowance, up to $7,500 in relocation costs and $1,800 per month for temporary housing for up to three months.
Before approving Trollinger's contract, the council added a stipulation that Trollinger must repay all of his relocation costs to the town if he leaves the position within the first 12 months of employment or 50% of the relocation costs if he leaves within 13-24 months of employment. The stipulation applies only if Trollinger voluntarily resigns.
"I think that that's a reasonable stipulation to put in," Council Member Susannah Murdock said at the meeting.
The effective date of Trollinger's contract is April 15.
"He presents the first presentation of the budget to his town on April 1, and he wanted to be there for that and see them through that meeting, so it made me feel like he's very responsible and loyal to the place where he works," Mayor Charles Poss said at the meeting.
At the same meeting, the council passed a resolution stating it would not require Trollinger to reside within town limits.
(READ MORE: Signal Mountain eyes cuts to fire protection, other services)
According to the town charter, the town manager cannot reside outside town limits while in office unless authorized by the Town Council.
Trollinger said he would like to move his family to a home within town limits or a location nearby that's easily accessible.
Matthew Justice, the town's water utility director, has served in the role of interim town manager since December 2023, when former Town Manager Elaine Brunelle resigned from the position, according to a news release.
Contact Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6508.
Staff file photo by Olivia Ross / Signal Mountain's Town Hall is seen in 2023. The Town Council recently hired Matthew Trollinger as its town manager.