Thatcher gets city manager job on a full-time basis

Everyone was all smiles at the end of the City Council meeting Tuesday night after Ed Thatcher was named City Manager; shown are, from left: Council members Sherri Spruill and Tim Dale, Thatcher, Mayor Tracy Craig and City Council members Galen Adams and Jerry Walker.

Mount Pleasant City Council members, after over an hour in executive session Tuesday night, voted unanimously to hire interim City Manager Ed Thatcher on a full-time basis.

Thatcher came on board with the city in August. The council, after three new members were elected in May, sent City Manager Mike Ahrens packing after ten years.

Director of Building and Development Eddie Perritt served as interim City Manager for a month before Thatcher was brought on board to fill in.

Thatcher came out of retirement for what was was planned to be a temporary job. He retired at the end of 2018 after 14 years as City Manager in Heath; Congressman John Ratcliffe was mayor when Thatcher was hired in 2005.

Before that Thatcher was City Manager in Greenville for another 14 years, and City Manager in Rosenberg from 1985 to 1989.

He graduated from high school in 1966 and received B.S. degree in Criminal Justice Administration in 1979 from Brigham Young University.

After the vote to hire Thatcher permanently, City Council member Sherri Spruill said "I never would have thought I'd have the opportunity to work with someone with so much experience."

"He's done a wonderful job," she continued. "He loves the city and he loves the employees. I didn't want to look at anybody else."