Rockville Council strips Clerk-Treasurer of Town Manager duties

In a surprise move, the Rockville Town Council voted in favor this week of stripping Brandy Asher, the town's clerk-treasurer, of her duties as town manager. 

A motion made by Liddy Dowd-Wright received a second and passed 3-2 as councilmen Parke Swaim and Dr. Steve Waltz backed the motion. Councilmen David Brown and Chris McCann voted against the measure. 

Since being elected clerk-treasurer, Asher handled all the administration, computer, grants and other town manager duties in addition to her role as the town's clerk-treasurer. Asher said it is her understanding that Rockville Utilities Director Doug Gordon will now be expected to oversee those duties. 

"Honestly, my position as clerk-treasurer remains the same, I just will not do any of the administrative duties as a town manager," Asher told The Parke County Post. 

The move comes after several contentious meetings in recent months, where Waltz and Swaim have questioned Asher's ability to do her roles, especially in the wake of learning the town was facing a shortfall in stormwater fees revenue due to prior administrations not enforcing ordinances centered around fees. 

"I wasn't surprised because this was, in my opinion, a temporary position, but it was that it was handled in a public meeting. They could have talked to me privately and told me their intentions," Asher said. 

Brown agreed it was always meant to be a temporary position, but raised concerns over how his fellow council members responded. 

"It was handled very poorly and very unprofessional," Brown said. 

Brown, who serves as the council president, said he was "very" surprised with how the decision was handled. 

"Very. I definitely didn't have any idea what was happening. It could have and should have been handled differently," Brown said. 

The Parke County Post reached out to Dowd-Wright for comment, but she did not respond. 

Despite the change in her duties, Asher admits nothing will change when it comes to her role as clerk-treasurer and that office. 

"I am good at what I do and the council knows it. This was the best audit the town has had in the past 20 years, so I can continue to smile and know I am here for the public and will continue to be as the clerk treasurer," Asher said.