Shallotte administrator named RR city manager

ROANOKE RAPIDS — Paul Sabiston is the new Roanoke Rapids city manager and his old boss, Shallotte Mayor Gerald Long says he leaves that North Carolina community in the best financial shape ever.

“I give him credit for 75 percent of that,” the mayor of the Brunswick County town of more than 1,800 said in a telephone interview discussing the current Shallotte town administrator.

“Paul is a smart young man,” Long said. “He knows a hell of a lot about administration and a hell of a lot about rules and regulation. He’s done an outstanding job.”

Long said Sabiston, the 46-year-old father of two children, helped the town solve a sewage issue by having the county buy the old infrastructure and putting the town on the county system.

Sabiston’s knowledge of the town’s Unified Development Ordinance, similar to a comprehensive development plan in Roanoke Rapids, impressive, according to Long, “That’s our Bible (development plan),” Long continued, “He knows the ins and outs and rezoning. He’s helped tremendously with development that has come to the town of Shallotte.”

Life was not always perfect, Long admitted. “We certainly had disagreements but we went on with the job and came out better for it.”

Long believes if Roanoke Rapids City Council listens to its new city manager when he starts Aug. 17, the city will be in a better position. “We have followed his advice and it has worked out well for the town of Shallotte.”

Sabiston, who was hired on a unanimous vote with Councilman Ed Deese absent, comes to Roanoke Rapids as it grapples with issues surrounding the Roanoke Rapids Theatre and a diminishing fund balance.

When he starts his job, Sabiston, will begin looking at the city’s budget, he said following yesterday’s meeting after he was hired. “We want to look at making things more cost effective to operate this town. We want to look at redundancies. We want to do a review of internal operations.”

That could include shopping around for different things such as health insurance.

Sabiston, who was born in Raleigh and raised in the metro Atlanta area, said one of the things drawing him to Roanoke Rapids was its downtown, which a group of merchants are working to get included in the Main Street program. “There is so much potential,” he said. “I like the fact there is a Roanoke Rapids school system. That’s a big attraction. I have two kids. One is in the fourth grade and the other is two years from starting.”

He says he will be a straight shooter, letting council know the good, bad and the ugly. “I’m not a yes man. I will tell you the facts.”

Sabiston will make $95,000 a year, according to a copy of his contract and an annual performance will be held on or near the anniversary date of his hiring.

The city manager will receive a monthly car allowance of $350 and 35 cents per mile for business travel outside Halifax County. He will receive a PDA/Blackberry device from the city and will be reimbursed up to $9,000 for moving expenses with the understanding he gets two estimates.

The city will pay his temporary living expenses in the amount of $500 per month until he obtains a sale and closes on his existing home not to exceed six months. He is required to obtain permanent residency within the city limits within six months.

Sabiston has been in Shallotte nearly five years and was town administrator in Mexico Beach, Fla., prior to that.

The Wake Forest University graduate practiced law for 12 years in the Marietta , Ga., area where he served eight years on the city council. He is still licensed to practice law in Georgia.

Serving on city council whetted his appetite for wanting to get into city government.

Sabiston believes Roanoke Rapids is a perfect fit for him. “Its size is right for me,” he said. “It’s a comfortable size. It’s not so big you get lost in the sprawl.”

Councilman Jon Baker welcomed Sabiston to the city. “This was our first unanimous vote in 12 months. That means a lot.”

“This is a breath of fresh air,” Councilman Ed Liverman said. “It’s a fresh start for the city.”