Tryon Town Council returned from a brief closed session during its Tuesday, May 21 meeting to appoint Joey Davis as the town’s permanent town manager.

Davis thanked the council for the vote of confidence.

“I thoroughly, thoroughly, thoroughly enjoy working for this town … if I didn’t I wouldn’t be the guy that runs and says, ‘I can do that job, there’s nobody else doing that,’” Davis said. “You will get mad at me sometimes. Lord knows I will get mad at the council and the council will get mad at me, but we’re all working to make Tryon the best place that we can. I’m looking forward to it – if you need anything please come and see me.”

Doug Arbogast was out of town on family matters, but provided a full statement to council and the Bulletin.

“At the end of the day … we all love Tryon, we are a small town in terms of population and in terms of budget,” Arbogast said. “Why not continue with something that allows us to realize more savings?”

Davis in February 2013 was appointed interim manager for the second time in as many years when the town fired then manager Caitlin Martin. Davis served previously as interim manager when the town fired Justin Hembree. Hembree served as manager from January 2009 to January 2012.

Combining those two terms of service means Davis has been acting manger for a total of 13 months, while remaining fire chief and code enforcer. He will continue in all three roles as the permanent manager as well.

Town clerk Susan Bell said town council previously approved paying Davis $400 a week or about $21,000 a year, in addition to his fire chief salary, to serve as interim town manager. Caitlin Martin made $45,000, while Justin Hembree was making $77,625 when he was fired in 2012.

Council members did not discuss what Davis’ salary would be in the permanent position. Arbogast in his statement, however, said by allowing Davis to handle all three roles the town realizes a tremendous amount of savings.