McGinnis
Edinburgh’s newly-hired town manager is a familiar face in Johnson County.
Kevin McGinnis served as Bargersville’s town manager for two years and most recently was Whiteland’s town manager for a year before he retired in January 2022.
But that retirement was temporary. McGinnis started a new job as Edinburgh’s leader Tuesday, relieving Wade Watson of his duties as interim town manager in a move the town council approved Monday. Council President Ryan Piercefield did not take part in the vote because he missed parts of the interviewing process, clerk-treasurer Scott Finley said.
“When I retired from the town of Whiteland, I was at a point in life I could retire,” McGinnis said. “After retiring for a few months, I hated it and I just wanted to have a purpose in life and get involved with things. I got a call from the town of Edinburgh and they asked if I was interested in applying for the town manager position, and I thought I’d give it a try.”
McGinnis will earn a salary of $90,000 annually. That is toward the higher end of the advertised salary range of $50,000 to $92,650. Watson will stay on as planning director for the rest of the year, which is the position he held before he was named interim town manager to replace former town manager Dan Cartwright in July 2022.
Watson will also help McGinnis transition to his role by catching him up to speed on the town’s various departments and goals. The town manager plans, organizes, directs and coordinates with town council members regarding town operations. They are also in charge of developing administrative policies, ensuring public services are provided to residents and building relationships with community members and business leaders, according to the town’s website.
Watson originally planned to retire in 2021, but instead has led the town of 5,000 for almost a year alongside his planning director duties. McGinnis’ hiring comes after several months of town council members searching for the next town manager.
“I was involved with the interview process and fully support the council’s decision to extend the opportunity to Mr. McGinnis,” Watson said in an email. “I have known Mr. McGinnis for several years but until now have not had the opportunity to work directly with him. I am excited to have this opportunity.”
At the time of his retirement from Whiteland, McGinnis said he was dealing with stress from the job and “micromanagement and meddling” from one council member.
“This was causing a lot of issues and stress and I was at a time in my life where I could retire and decided to move on,” he said in an email to the Daily Journal at the time.
Edinburgh has plenty of opportunities for residential and business growth in the coming years, McGinnis said.
“There are quite a few opportunities for industrial-type businesses from (U.S.) 31 to (Interstate) 65. Timbergate Golf Course has a residential community in it which is moving along and we’ll be developing some residential lots soon,” he said. “You have to have the land availability and utility capacity that can support future growth, and just make yourself open to the concepts and the vision of the town.”
Through his time in town government, McGinnis has learned to be approachable and work with different types of people, he said.
“I learned about being approachable by employees and responsive and open to the vision and desires of the council,” McGinnis said. “I look at my role as a team with the council. The council has goals and wishes and my vision and my job is to carry those to fruition. There’s a lot of projects going on in Edinburgh right now with their street department, fire department, water, waste water, golf course, just about every department has projects going on right now.”
Watson will depart in December after serving the town for 12 years. During that time, he’s taken part in several town projects. Some of those include efforts to save and renovate the John R Drybread Community Center, ading a new council chambers at Edinburgh Town Hall, building a new fire station and a new water treatment plant, reconstructing major roadways, and planning a new Industrial Park substation.
“I hope I’ll be remembered as someone who loved this community and its people, that I have always kept its best interests as my sole objective, that I learned and respected its deep and rich history while maintaining an unwavering focus on its bright future. But mostly, that I have created respected friendships that will last a lifetime,” Watson said.
The town has a bright future ahead of it, Watson said.
“Edinburgh is on the threshold of exciting changes,” he said. “We’ve made many positive steps forward in the last decade and I say with great confidence there are more great days in its future. I am also confident that Mr. McGinnis will be a great leader contributing to Edinburgh’s bright future.”
