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Rye Searches For New Heads Of Police Dept., Golf Club

RYE, N.Y. -- City officials are beginning the process of searching for a new general manager for the Rye Golf Club as well as a new commissioner for the Rye Police Department.

Rye has begun the process of searching for a new commissioner for the Rye Police Department, as well as a new general manager of the Rye Golf Club.

Rye has begun the process of searching for a new commissioner for the Rye Police Department, as well as a new general manager of the Rye Golf Club.

Photo Credit: Casey Donahue

City Manager Scott Pickup has been meeting with professional headhunting firms in an effort to contract one to find the Golf Club a new general manager. The club's previous manager Scott Yandrasevich was fired after he was accused of misappropriating funds and having a conflict of interest. Jim Lopolito has served as the interim manager.

Once a firm is hired and identifies some possible candidates to take over the position, the plan is to have the candidates vetted by the Rye Golf Commission, the City Council, or both. After a firm is hired, which would likely cost the city between $20,000 and $30,000 the process could take about 90 days, Pickup said. He has met with some firms over the past moth, and some have expressed interest, while others have rejected the idea because of the golf club's recent problems.

"They didn't want to be associated with it," Pickup said. He said that the salary the Rye Golf Club could offer also presented a challenge. "When you talk to some of these professionals who recruit in Westchester County, our salary is not competitive."

While the search for a new Golf Club manager has occupied much of Pickup's time, he is also going to begin the process of replacing Police Commissioner William Connors. Connors announced last week that he will be retiring in January. Pickup said that he will also be looking to hire an outside firm to find potential candidates for the position.

Like the search for the Golf Club manager, Pickup said that he would want public officials to play a part in the hiring process of a new commissioner.

"My anticipation here is we would also look for some public participation here as well, at least for an opportunity to meet and have conversations with a group of preferred candidates before a final candidate is ultimately offered," he said. "Whether it's a small group, large group, mixed group, that's to be determined, but that would be the key to both those recruitments."

Pickup said that time is of the essence in both hires. The Rye Golf Club Commission will be working to create its budget in the next couple months. At the Rye Police Department, lieutenants have been busy filling other vacancies, and it would be difficult for one to step up and fill the role of commissioner during the search for a replacement.. 

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