The city of Newberry will offer its city clerk position to Randa Paul following unanimous approval by the City Commission during a regular meeting on Monday. 

If accepted, Paul, Newbery’s executive assistant to the city manager, will step into the position in September when current City Clerk Judy Rice retires after 30 years. 

“She interviewed very well, I was pleased,” Rice said. “My recommendation [is] to appoint this applicant for the incoming city clerk.” 

Paul, who is also a real estate agent, was the city’s only internal city clerk applicant following the city’s May 5 special meeting discussing a succession plan for the role.  

She met individually with Rice and Newberry Mayor Tim Marden, who was absent from Monday’s meeting. City Manager Jordan Marlowe announced Marden’s support for Paul on the mayor’s behalf. 

“The mayor apologized for not being here tonight, but he has also passed along his endorsement [of Paul],” Marlowe said. 

The commission started negotiating a salary for Paul before moving to direct Marden, Marlowe and Rice to collaborate on drafting the contract, which will come back before the commission for approval. 

The commission also approved the first reading of an amendment to language in its land development regulations ordinance, which the planning and zoning board approved with one edit.  

Staff said under the new edit, subverting the appeals process would be avoided because anyone who appealed an item to the board of adjustment would have the ability to enter a stay if they chose to, but the stay wouldn’t be automatic.   

They said the amendment was introduced following Track Line LLC’s appeal of the city’s stop work order last month and will get a second reading for adoption at the June 23 regular meeting.