Lake Lure Appoints Olivia Stewman as Town Manager 

Mayor Carol Pritchett announced that Town Council had appointed Olivia Stewman as the new Town Manager effective Wednesday, April 3, 2024.  Mayor Pritchett stated, "We are very pleased to promote Olivia Stewman to the Town Manager role.  She has a stellar work record in Lake Lure, having served as the Town Clerk since 2021 and as Interim Town Manager previously during her tenure in Lake Lure. Ms. Stewman’s appointment will allow the Town to move forward seamlessly with the critical work that is underway.  We will be holding a Welcome Celebration for her at the May 14, 2024 Town Council Meeting so please come out and congratulate Ms. Stewman on her new role.” 

When interviewed about her new position, Ms. Stewman shared, "It is with great appreciation and excitement that I accept the position of Town Manager. I look forward to working with Town Council, staff, and the community as we strive to continuously improve Lake Lure.”

Please see the following is a summary of Olivia Stewman’s experience. 

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Public administrator with educational background and experience in local government. Demonstrated professional abilities, resilience, organization, work ethic, and dedication to public service by filling various roles within local governments. Knowledgeable about legal requirements, budgeting, policy making, and other functions of municipal and county governments. Quick and eager learner with a passion for sustaining and bettering local communities.

EXPERIENCE

Town Clerk July 2021 – April 2024: Town of Lake Lure, NC

• Ensured that the Town was following North Carolina General Statutes and open meeting laws.
• Prepared Town Council for meetings by creating meeting agendas that addressed current priorities, gathering pre-meeting information, crafting and dispersing meeting packets, and recording meeting minutes.
• Managed Town documents by implementing an organizational structure which followed the North Carolina Records Retention and Disposition Schedule.
• Oversaw administration of records for Town statutory and advisory boards.
• Managed all public records requests.
• Authored resolutions and ordinances that represented the goals of the Town and ensured the sustainability and betterment of the community.

Interim Town Manager November 2021 – June 2022: Town of Lake Lure, NC

• Provided oversight of Town operations through organization, management, and implementation of policies put in place to achieve the goals of the Town Council.
• Coordinated with strategic partners and Department Heads to ensure progress with the Town’s unique infrastructure projects such as the replacement of a dam, the subaqueous sanitary sewer system, and dredging.
• Worked closely with the Town Council, Department Heads, and the Finance Director to produce  the FY 22-23 budget.
• Represented the Town of Lake Lure in various meetings and events for the purposes of bettering the local community.
• Developed and issued various Requests for Qualifications and performed contract execution and management of contracts.

Graduate Assistant for Student Athlete Academic Services August 2020 – April 2021: Appalachian State University, Boone NC

• Mentored student athletes with time management and academic resources.
• Compiled and communicated biweekly grade reports.
• Represented the program by attending meetings with academic advisors.
• Oversaw academic study halls and one-on-one sessions with student athletes.

Administrative Intern June 2020 - August 2020: Jackson County, NC

• Participated in meetings and events that enabled the learning of duties and requirements of a county manager.
• Interacted and engaged with various departments to experience responsibilities and duties of county agencies.
• Created and published a Report to the Citizens, detailing departmental goals and programs.

Graduate Research Assistant March 2020 - May 2020: Appalachian State University, Boone NC

• Researched sustainability, resiliency, and renewable energies in local/regional governments.
• Documented research and findings.
• Completed literature reviews.
• Participated in meetings and discussions with supervisors, professors, and work partners.

Administrative Intern May 2019 - August 2019: Town of Highlands, Highlands NC

• Participated in meetings and events that enabled the learning of duties and requirements of a town manager.
• Interacted and engaged with various departments to experience responsibilities and duties of municipal agencies.
• Mapped town landmarks using geographic information systems (GIS) technologies.
• Completed budget training and gained experience in assessing and understanding budget documents.

• Bachelor of Science December 2019 - Appalachian State University, Boone NC

        Major: Political Science - Public Administration

• Master of Public Administration August 2021 - Appalachian State University, Boone NC

        Area of Focus: Town, City, and County Management