Tryon Town Council on Tuesday, March 20 accepted the resignation of Harmon Field Parks and Recreation Supervisor George Alley.
Alley, who was hired in May 2008, held the position almost four years. He recently filed to run for N.C. House of Representatives District 113 seat and was suspended from his employment by the town because of a personnel policy that restricts employees from running as candidates in partisan elections.

Tryon Town Council initially had on its agenda for March 20 an item to discuss changing the personnel policy, but council removed the item from the agenda after learning of Alley’s resignation.
Alley said he felt resigning was the right thing to do at this time.
“I felt it was the right decision to move forward,” Alley said. “I’m going to try to go back to school and get an intern this summer, and work on the campaign.”
Alley (D) will face the winner of the upcoming Republican primary between Trudi Walend, who was appointed to the seat last year, and Chris Whitmire. The District 113 seat represents Polk, Henderson and Transylvania counties.
If Alley hadn’t resigned, under the current personnel policy, Alley would have remained suspended until the election. The town’s public works director would have assumed his duties during the suspension.
Tryon Town Council plans to discuss the position during a budget workshop scheduled for this Saturday, March 24 beginning at 9 a.m. at the Tryon Fire Department.