L&T Publisher Earl Watt
To anyone paying attention, there is no question that significant progress has been made in the City of Liberal, and credit must be given to the current Liberal City Commission and to previous City Manger Rusty Varnado.
There has been significant movement in terms of economic development, other public improvements have taken shape, and the interaction between the community and city government is at an all-time high in recent memory.
Varnado made some staffing changes at City Hall that have thus far proven to be good moves. Adding Keeley Moree to take control of public relations as well as other duties has enhanced the amount of information coming out of City Hall, and Scarlette Diseker taking a more active role in city finance has been an absolute boon both financially and administratively.
Now the Liberal City Commission has to go through the process of replacing Varnado, and there is no need to make this a rush decision.
Diseker is filing in as the interim city manager, and that is a luxury not all cities have.
Diseker is well-known in the community and has a reputation for excellence in all that she does. While her community roles have varied over the years, there is no doubt that every endeavor ended with a new bar set for the successor.
With Diseker holding down the fort, or maybe even considering whether or not to seek the position permanently, Liberal is in good hands.
That gives the commissioners the benefit of time. There is no need to expedite the process just to fill the spot. By taking time, the best candidates will be able to respond and provide the best choice for the future.
Everyone is different, and each city manager has brought their pluses and minuses to the job.
Momentum is on our side. Projects are in the pipeline, and the comprehensive planning process is continuing to move forward. Let’s take the time to seek the best and keep the momentum moving forward.
