Council Confirms David Scott as new City Manager

Months in the works, the Sidney City Council is closing in on a decision for its new city manager, announcing three finalists for the position in the June 9 meeting.

The council announced David Scott of Sidney, Pamela Caskie of Sevierville, Tenn., and Jeff Wells of Fort Morgan, CO., as the finalists.

Scott has been employed with the City of Sidney as finance director since May of 2017, having moved to Sidney from Alaska.

Jeff Wells is a former city manager for city of Fort Morgan. On May 20, 2018, kdvr.com reported Wells was arrested on charges of third degree assault regarding an incident involving his daughter. The charge filed by the District Attorney's Office is related to an incident when Wells, according to a Fort Morgan Times story, is accused of assaulting his daughter while in his city-owned vehicle.

The assault reportedly stems from his daughter's refusal to fasten her seat belt while they were in a City vehicle.. Wells was accused by then-District Attorney Brittny Lewton of having "intentionally slammed on his brakes repeatedly, causing his daughter to crash her face into the windshield and various parts of the dash." His daughter, 18 at the time, reportedly suffered a concussion in the incident.

Lewton told the Fort Morgan newspaper the Fort Morgan Police Department knew of the incident but did not file a report.

A similar reported was filed by the Denver Post. He was found not guilty in district court.

Eastern Colorado Publishing Company, doing business as The Fort Morgan Times, filed a suit against the City of Fort Morgan under the Colorado Open Records Act.

Wells was first appointed to the Fort Morgan city staff in 2007 as city attorney, and became the city manager in 2012.

Wells and the City of Fort Morgan separated and as of February 2020 had yet to reach a separation agreement. The City Council voted in January not to renew his contract, according to the Fort Morgan Times. The agreement was settled in March of this year with Wells receiving a $180,000 severance payment. During the March 17 city council meeting,the council voted 5-1 approving a resolution acknowledging "Well's 'positive impact on the City of Fort Morgan,'" according to the Fort Morgan Times. The agreement also included a letter of recommendation from the mayor.

A web search of Pamela Caskie indicates she had lived in Sevierville, Tenn. According to zoominfo.com, she was the Chief Executive Officer for A Bryte Idea in 2019, Director of Development for the City of Sevierville, Tenn., from 2014-2019, Director of Development for Sevier County Electric System, Executive Director Northwest Colorado Council of Governments 2010 to 2011, Alliance City Manager in 2005 to 2010, and an active member of Nebraska City/County Management Association.

She has a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Tennessee Technological University, and a master's degree in Public Administration from Bowling Green State University.

The city council will be conducting interviews today (June 17), Thursday and Friday. Former Sidney City Manager Ed Sadler announced in late 2019 his intention to resign. He said then he expected the appointment process to take until March into April.