What will be four days after Basalt town manager Mike Scanlon resigned, elected officials plan to take up his surprise departure at a scheduled meeting this week.
On Friday afternoon, Scanlon officially notified the town he was leaving his post and wants 12 months of severance. When asked by Aspen Public Radio at 4 p.m. that afternoon if he was quitting, he quickly rebuffed the notion. Within an hour, he resigned.
Scanlon was facing increased pressure from some town council members, who were questioning him on government finances and performance issues. His supporters say he had a good pulse on the community, operated with integrity and was an effective facilitator.
Rick Stevens, who lost to Mayor Jacque Whitsitt in this past spring’s election, spoke to Scanlon shortly after he resigned.
“He felt the only way the community could go forward and get the answers to the issues was to leave, and whatever happened that afternoon and whatever was leading up to that was just pyramiding," he said.
Whitsitt declined comment but confirmed that prior to Scanlon resigning he was scheduled to be discussed behind closed doors at council’s Tuesday meeting. It starts at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Basalt town hall.
