Newcastle Town Administrator David Bolling will resign after 15 months on the job and return to Tennessee for a position as city manager of Kingston.
Kingston is about a 30-minute drive from Bolling’s hometown of Clinton.
“I have never been associated with a finer group of people, and this was certainly not a decision that I reached lightly,” Bolling said in a statement.
He and his wife, Jennifer, and their children, Carter and Caroline, “have met so many wonderful people and developed friendships that we will cherish forever,” he said. “We will always be indebted to the people of Newcastle for the way they took a southern family in and made them feel welcome.”
“I feel like we’ve accomplished some very good things over the last year, but the credit doesn’t belong to me,” Bolling said. “It’s been my absolute pleasure and privilege to work alongside such an amazing group of people. The selectmen, department heads and employees of the town of Newcastle are second to none. Regardless of who sits in this office, they are the glue that holds the town together.
“I will always be grateful for the opportunity to serve, and Newcastle will always hold a very special place in my heart. I wish Newcastle nothing but the best, and leave with nothing but good memories.”
Bolling cited family reasons as contributing to the decision to return to Tennessee.
He said he does not know when his last day will be, and the Newcastle Board of Selectmen has not made any decisions regarding how best to fill the position.
Bolling will bring experience in Tennessee city government to his new position in Kingston. He was the city manager of Oliver Springs, Tenn., before accepting the Newcastle post in January 2012.
He was also a county commissioner in Anderson County, Tenn., and a Democratic candidate for mayor of Anderson County.
Kingston is the seat of Roane County. The lakeside city has a population of about 6000 and the city has about 60 employees, Bolling said.
