Nelsonville hires Tracy Galway as interim city manager

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NELSONVILLE, Ohio —Tracy Galway looks forward to serving as Nelsonville’s interim city manager, following her appointment by city council at a brief special meeting Monday night.

According to City Auditor Taylor Sappington, Galway is the first woman to be Nelsonville’s city manager. Research by Nelsonville Public Library Local History Librarian Lorinda LeClain confirm this, though Violet Hollenbaugh served as Nelsonville’s first female mayor in the mid-1970s.

Galway is a two-time Ohio University graduate, holding a Master of Public Administration. She has decades of experience in administration, in addition to working with “lots of budget, program management, project management, all those kinds of things over the years,” she said in an interview.

Galway has also worked in nonprofits, including the Southeast Ohio Foodbank & Kitchen and Athens County Job and Family Services.

“My goal was to hopefully offer up my help with my skills and experiences, to be able to try and at least [help] them in the interim,” Galway said. “And, hopefully, with the potential it could work out long term, too. We’ll see how that goes.”

The city did not take a break following the January resignation of former City Manager Scott Frank, Galway explained. The Nelsonville City Charter states that in the case of no formal city manager, the chief of police serves in that role. 

Nelsonville Police Department Sgt. Devon Tolliver is currently serving as temporary police chief, as of Jan 18. He also served as acting city manager until Galway’s hire. Without a full-time city manager, “it’s definitely a collaborative effort” that can “pull staff away from their duties,” she said.

Though originally from central Ohio, Galway has family in Nelsonville and has lived in Athens County for about 25 years. 

“There’s lots of potential for growth and other things that could happen here, and lots of things have been happening here,” Galway said. “There’s some really, really good organizations and other businesses and things. So I just want to be part of the greater community and help contribute.”

Council also hired a full-time police officer Monday night on Tolliver’s recommendation.

Frank, the former city manager, has been ordered to pay restitution to the city equaling the total amount the city paid his child in 2022 for working at the city pool, the Independent reported.

As Galway’s position is temporary, for a 60-day period. The city is still accepting applications for city manager as well as for police chief and two council seats.

Nelsonville City Council’s next regular meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, in Nelsonville City Council Chambers, 211 Lake Hope Drive. Find more at cityofnelsonville.com.