With plans to move to Maryland, Village Manager Josué Salmerón resigned from his post after four years. His last day as manager is Sept. 3. According to Council President Brian Housh, efforts to find Salmerón’s successor have begun — likely beginning with the appointment of interim position, then later, a permanent manager. (Photo by Reilly Dixon)
Yellow Springs Village Manager Josué Salmerón resigns
- Published: July 26, 2023
After four years as Yellow Springs village manager, Josué Salmerón has resigned. His last day is Sept. 3.
According to a public statement issued Tuesday, July 25, Salmerón is leaving his post and the village to pursue a “professional opportunity” in the Washington, D.C, area — a move that will also allow him to be closer to extended family members. What that opportunity is, the statement did not specify.
However, as reported in a recent article by the News Review, an independent newspaper in Greenbelt, Maryland, Salmerón is among three final candidates for the city manager position of Greenbelt, population 25,000.
“I’ve done a lot of soul searching,” Salmerón, 40, told the News in an interview earlier this week. “In addition to helping my personal growth in my career, I think moving to the D.C. area will be best for my immediate family to thrive.”
Council members are now tasked with finding Salmerón’s successor, though what that process entails remains unclear. The statement said that Council is “coordinating closely” with Village administrators to “ensure a smooth transition,” and that plans “will be announced as they are developed.”
Reached for comment on Tuesday evening, Council President Brian Housh told the News that although Council members and Village staffers are “still figuring out what the process will be,” with a special Council meeting set Friday, July 28, Housh said he expects that an interim manager will be hired around the time of Salmerón’s departure in early September.
“We have to have somebody who’s acting village manager, and certainly 40-something days is not enough time to conduct a search,” Housh said.
The Council president added that, like in previous searches for village manager — of which Housh has now been a part of two — community members will have opportunities for input.
Salmerón said he was proud of his accomplishments during his tenure as manager. Chief among them were the continual improvements he and his administrative team have made to the village’s municipal infrastructure.
“When I was hired, I was immediately shown a citation from the EPA that said we were exceeding our sanitary flows,” Salmerón said. “Over time, we were able to reduce flows by 35% and water loss by 40%. It’s always been my goal to have our enterprises running effectively and efficiently.”
In addition to infrastructure improvements, Salmerón’s tenure was marked with an ambitious agenda. Under his administration, the Village purchased the Lawson Place apartments in 2021; he facilitated the appointment of Police Chief Paige Burge in 2022; oversaw this year’s multimillion dollar stormwater improvement project; led a charge to bring municipal broadband to Yellow Springs; coordinated the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic — which began eight months after he became manager — and more.
In Tuesday’s public statement, Housh lauded the outgoing manager: “Josué joined the Village at a critical period. … His innovative and thoughtful approach was key to our success.”
Salmerón said he’s proud of what he accomplished in the four years he’s been with the Village.
“I’m blessed with all the opportunities I’ve had during my time here,” Salmerón said. “I feel I’ve made an impact in Yellow Springs — and that was only possible with the Village team I’ve had.”
Salmerón was hired as the Village’s 10th full-time manager after a half-year-long search for Patti Bates’ successor. Upon his appointment, he returned to Yellow Springs 13 years after he graduated from Antioch College with a degree in biomedical sciences. He also has a Master of Business Administration degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He moved to the village from Washington, D.C., with his wife, Tania Hutchinson, who is also an Antioch alum, and their two children — Ahnika and Josue Brooks.
Salmerón was initially given a three-year contract with a salary of $105,000. In June 2022, Council unanimously approved a five-year contract and a new salary of $121,000.
The News will provide updates as Council continues its search process for Salmerón’s successor.
One Response to “Yellow Springs Village Manager Josué Salmerón resigns”
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Good that he’s gone. If the new development has proceeded, it would have brought in big city folk looking to scale down to a simpler life. It would not have solved the housing issue – not at $600 thousand a pop. Salmon was only looking for the extra property tax.