Newly-appointed Lynchburg City Manager Douglas Stanley has submitted his resignation before ever taking over the job, which he was scheduled to begin September 1.
Stanley’s resignation came after Lynchburg City Council looked into two emails that he allegedly sent several years ago. Stanley is the former county administrator for Warren County. Stanley apologized to the Warren County supervisors in 2019 about one of the emails. In his letter of resignation, he says the other email was a fabrication and was never sent.
He had also been charged in connection with an embezzlement scheme involving the Warren County Economic Development Authority, but those charges were later dropped.
Here is Stanley’s letter of resignation:
Dear Mayor Dolan:
As you are well aware, there has been considerable turmoil generated in the Lynchburg
community surrounding the release and circulation of several emails claimed to have been sent
by me in my capacity as County Administrator in Warren County. As you know by verified
information I have presented, one of those emails is a fabrication and was never sent and the
other, while taken out of context, included inappropriate and vulgar language for which I have
previously publicly apologized and addressed in Warren County.I am sorry that this has brought unwanted attention to you and the other members of City
Council and staff. I apologize for the situation and am regretful that these emails cast shadow
on my 25 years of service. Inasmuch as this has brought concerns about my future ability to
manage the City, I feel that it is in my and the City’s best interests if I withdraw from the
position prior to my stated start date of September 1st. I sincerely regret having to take this
action but feel it is in the best interests of the City.Please know that my family was excited for the opportunity to move to Lynchburg and I looked
forward to the challenge of managing the City. We wish you nothing but the best during this
transition and the rest of your term.Sincerely,
Douglas P. Stanley, AICP ICMA-CM
Vice Mayor Beau Wright told WFXR-TV that Council’s options include reaching an agreement with Svrcek to stay on longer, having Deputy City Manager Reid Wodicka serve in an acting capacity, or bring in a temporary city manager from outside.