Greeneville Mayor Ask For City Manager’s Resignation

Mayor Cal Doty is calling for the resignation of City Manager Todd Smith, saying the town needs a change in leadership after more than a decade under Smith’s administration.

Doty told Radio Greeneville News that while he appreciates Smith’s years of service, he believes it is time for new direction in the position. Doty has placed the matter on the agenda for next week’s Greeneville City Council meeting.

“This request is not being made lightly,” Doty said in a written statement. “There have been many issues during my three years as Greeneville’s mayor that have impacted the thought process which has led me to make this decision.”

Doty said he will explain his reasons for the request during council meeting, which begins at 4 p.m. Tuesday, August 19, in the G. Thomas Love Board Room at the Greeneville Energy Authority building.

Smith was hired in 2011 when Greeneville moved from a mayor-led form of government to a system headed by a city administrator, later renamed city manager in 2023. The role carries responsibility for the town’s daily operations and reports to the City Council.

The item was added to the agenda at the request of Mayor Doty.

Greeneville’s Town Charter establishes the duties of the City Manager, as well as the process for hiring and firing. The charter says that the City Manager can be removed by a majority vote of the City Council. Greeneville has four council members, with Mayor Doty breaking any tie votes.

Smith was recently recognized at the state level for his leadership in municipal government. In July, Gov. Bill Lee appointed him to the Governor’s Homeland Security Council, representing Tennessee’s city mayors and managers. In a formal letter of appointment, Lee called Smith’s qualifications “exceptional among the number of nominees who expressed interest” and cited his years of service in municipal government and the Air Force National Guard.

The Homeland Security Council works with the Office of Homeland Security to plan and direct statewide security initiatives in coordination with local, state and federal partners.

The City Council’s agenda for Tuesday lists “consideration to request resignation from City Manager Todd Smith” as its first item under new business. Other agenda items include an update from the Roby Theater Committee, a bid for bat removal at the Roby Adult Center, and a resolution establishing a policy for filling vacancies on town and joint boards and commissions.

Statement by Greeneville Mayor Cal Doty:
“I, Cal Doty, Mayor of Greeneville, Tennessee, am formally requesting the resignation of Town Manager of Greeneville, Tennessee, Mr. Todd Smith.

While I appreciate his years of service to the Town of Greeneville, I think the time has come that a change in leadership is needed and is appropriate.

This request is not being made lightly. There have been many issues during my three years as Greeneville’s Mayor that have impacted the thought process which has led me to make this decision. During these past three years, I have tried to help Todd grow in his position as Town Manager but do not feel I have been able to make an impact.

I will provide my reasons at that meeting. I will be putting this item on the agenda for our next Council meeting, August 19, 2025.”

AGENDA
TOWN OF GREENEVILLE
City Council Regular Session
Greeneville City Council
G. Thomas Love Board Room
Tuesday, August 19, 2025
4:00 PM

1. Call to Order

2. Roll Call

3. Invocation

4. Pledge of Allegiance

5. Mayor’s Comments- Joint Proclamation and Retiree Recognition

6. Public Comment

7. Unfinished Business

7.1 Consideration to approve the minutes from the regularly scheduled meeting held on August 5, 2025.

8. New Business

8.1 Consideration to request resignation from City Manager, Todd Smith.

8.2 Update from Roby Theater Committee

8.3 Consideration to approve bid for bat removal at the Roby Adult Center.

8.4 A resolution establishing a policy for filling vacancies on Town and joint boards and commissions.

8.5 Mayor’s appointments to the Greeneville Municipal Planning Commission, Brittany Hall and Samuel “Trey” Ricker III.

9. Adjourn

Relevant section of the Town Charter is below.

Section 6 states “the city manager may be removed by a majority vote of the City Council.”

Section 4 states “The Mayor shall have no vote in matters before the City Council except in the event of a tie vote by the Council Members, in which event the Mayor shall be entitled to vote as a tiebreaker.”

State of Tennessee
PRIVATE CHAPTER NO. 3
SENATE BILL NO. 1541
By Southerland
Substituted for: House Bill No. 1549
By Hawk

SECTION 4: Powers and duties of the Mayor

Section 4. The Mayor shall preside at all meetings of the City Council and make such suggestions and give such instructions with reference to the action of such City Council as in his judgment will be most conducive .to the interests of the town. The Mayor shall by written communication, lay before the City Council any information needed, and recommend such measures as he may deem expedient. The Mayor may call special meetings of the City Council, and when called he shall state the reason for convening them by message, and the action of the City Council shall be limited to said matter and that only .. The Mayor shall make appointments to boards and commissions as authorized by law. The Mayor shall have the authority to countersign all checks and drafts drawn upon the treasury by. the treasurer and shall sign all contracts which require his signature by law or as authorized or directed by the City Council. The Mayor shall have the veto power over any action of the City Council, giving his reasons therefore in writing, but the City Council may, by a three-fourths (3/4) affirmative vote of the entire City Council, pass the same over his veto; or if he fails.to return the same on or before the next regular meeting of the City Council he shall be deemed to have approved the same, and the same shall become a law without further action of the City Council, and every law, ordinance, resolution, or vote, except on question of adjournment, shall require the approval of the Mayor before it shall have effect, except as above provided. The Mayor shall have no vote in matters before the City Council except in the event of a tie vote by the Council Members, in which event the Mayor shall be entitled to vote as a tiebreaker.

SECTION 6: City manager appointment, duties. and removal

Section 6. The City Council shall appoint and fix the salary of a city manager, who shall serve at their will and pleasure. The city manager shall be appointed by virtue of experience or educational qualifications, or both. In the temporary absence or disability of the city manager, the city manager shall appoint another city employee who shall serve as acting city manager. If and when the city manager’s absence exceeds thirty (30) consecutive days, the City Council shall have the right to appoint another department head or another city employee as the acting city manager. The city manager shall be the chief administrative officer of the town. The city manager shall be responsible to the City Council for the administration of all town affairs placed in his charge by or under this charter.

The city manager shall have the following duties:

(1) To administer the business of the town and execute all contracts except as otherwise provided by this charter or by law;
(2) To make recommendations to the City Council for improving the quality and quantity of public services to be rendered by the officers and employees to the inhabitants of the town;
(3) To appoint and, when deemed necessary for the good of the service, discipline, suspend, or remove all city employees and appointive officers provided for by or under this charter, subject to the provisions of Chapter 179 of the Private Acts of 1953, as amended, “Civil Service”, and in accordance with the personnel rules adopted by the City Council and not in conflict with this charter;
(4) To direct and supervise the administration of all departments, offices, and agencies of the town, except as otherwise provided by this charter or by law;
(5) To attend all City Council meetings and have the right to take part in discussion, but may not vote;
(6) To see that all laws, provisions of this charter and acts of the City Council, subject to enforcement by the city manager or by officers subject to his direction and supervision, are faithfully executed;
(7) To prepare and submit the annual budget and an annual capital budget update to the City Council at the appropriate time;
(8) To submit to the City Council and make available to the public a complete report on the finances and administrative activities of the town as of the end of each month and at the end of the fiscal year;
(9) To make such other reports as the City Council may require concerning the operations of city departments, offices, and agencies subject to the city manager’s direction and supervision; and

(10) To keep the City Council fully advised as to the financial condition and future needs of the town and make such recommendations to the City Council concerning the affairs of the town as he deems desirable.

The City Council and its members shall deal with the administrative services of the town only through the city manager, except for the purpose of inquiry, and neither the City Council nor any member thereof shall give orders or instructions to any subordinates of the city manager. The city manager shall take instructions from the City Council when they are sitting in a duly convened meeting of the City Council. The city manager shall not be removed from office, other than for misconduct in office, during or within a period of thirty (30) days following the beginning of a new term of office next succeeding any general municipal election held in the town, at which election a new member of the City Council is elected, or when a new member is appointed. The purpose of this provision is to allow any newly elected or appointed member of the City Council to observe the actions and ability of the city manager in the performance of the powers and duties of his office. After the expiration of the aforementioned thirty (30) day period, the city manager may be removed by a majority vote of the
City Council.