Despite voting to hire a new executive director during its meeting, the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority refused to identify the person selected for the position on Wednesday.
After members of the board narrowed roughly 30 applicants down to three, they interviewed the remaining candidates and selected who they thought was the best choice, then took a full vote Wednesday to hire the candidate.
"We do still legally have to notify the other two people [who] did not get the job ... before we give a name," said authority Chairwoman Diane Strong-Treister.
Joyce Ofsa, the board's legal counsel, confirmed Wednesday that the board isn't required by law to notify the other applicants before they release the new hire's name.
"It's just called common courtesy in the employment process," Ofsa said.
The vote came after the authority's board spent more than two hours in executive session, which is closed to the public.
While the new hire has been notified, Ofsa said the board still is "negotiating terms" with them and hasn't issued a "formal offer."
"Until it's fully negotiated and completed, they can't divulge that kind of information," Ofsa said.
Any final actions taken by a public agency on matters such as employment, retirement, promotion or dismissal of an individual must be taken in an open meeting, according to West Virginia State Code. The law doesn't specify whether a public agency must name new employees after its members vote to hire them.
West Virginia State Ethics Commission Executive Director Rebecca Stepto said the commission has never issued an opinion on whether the state's Open Meetings Act exempts public agencies from disclosing the identity of new hires.
The board enters into a closed session during every meeting, usually to disclose real estate acquisitions or personnel matters.
Even though it's required by state code, the board never specifies which exemption of the state's Open Meetings Act it employs prior to entering closed session.
Strong-Treister did say that the new executive director will be at the board's November meeting.
Jim Edwards, the authority's executive director for the past three years, announced his resignation over the summer. While his last day as an employee is Oct. 31, Edwards said he will stay in Charleston for a few extra weeks to help train the new director.
Also on Wednesday, the authority voted to issue requests for proposals on properties it owns at 1212 Quarrier Street, as well as the brick rowhouses on Chamberlain Court, directly behind the Roosevelt Community Center on the city's East End.
The board voted in April to grant developer Chris Sadd an option to purchase the Chamberlain Court buildings, but that was contingent on whether Sadd's application for federal tax credits for affordable housing was approved.
Edwards told the board Wednesday that those credits were denied and recommended that the board re-advertise the property.
A few dilapidated buildings on the West Side also are being demolished this week, Edwards said.
The authority owns 1601-1605 Washington St. West, near the Smokehouse. Edwards said the asbestos needed cleared from the building before they could be razed.
Edwards also updated the board on how much has been awarded to area businesses in facade enhancement grants over the past several years.
Since 2008, the board has awarded $374,000 in facade grants on the West Side, though a large portion of those funds were awarded to Hooten Equipment Company in the past year when it completed a large renovation project on its facilities on Virginia Street West.
In the past three years, Edwards said $211,000 has been awarded to businesses on the East End for facade grants, and another $38,000 given to businesses downtown.
All facade grants are awarded on a reimbursement basis.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.