Herndon Town Manager Bill Ashton’s nearly three-decade-long career with the town government will come to a close this fall.
The town announced last night (Wednesday) that Ashton will resign as its top administrative official in order to take a new job as county administrator for Stafford. His final day as town manager will be Sept. 10.
“As with any life change of this magnitude, my emotions are mixed,” Ashton said in a news release. “My family and I are excited about this new adventure. But I will also deeply miss Herndon, its residents and its business owners. Most importantly, I will miss the men and women of the town’s staff, many whom I have worked alongside for more than 25 years and all of whom I am proud to call colleagues.”
The Town of Herndon hired Ashton in 1997 as its first-ever information technology director, later promoting him to town manager in 2017.
As town manager, Ashton is responsible for overseeing all departments and crafting the town’s annual budget, which has grown from approximately $34.5 million in expenditures at the end of his first fiscal year in the position in 2018 to the $74 million package that took effect on July 1.
In its press release, the town notes that Ashton has guided Herndon through “a period of significant growth but also significant challenge, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on town operations and services.”
His tenure has seen the arrival of Metro’s Silver Line, which is expected to fuel a population boom and bring new development, though Comstock’s long-awaited downtown project has yet to materialize. Other notable changes include the end of the long-running Herndon Festival, the adoption of a new strategic plan in March, and increased focuses on celebrating diversity and transportation safety.
According to the town, Mayor Sheila Olem accepted Ashton’s resignation with “regret and sincere best wishes.”
“Throughout his tenure, Bill has provided thoughtful, professional counsel to Herndon’s elected officials, principled leadership to town staff, and — on a personal note — invaluable advice to me throughout my years on the Town Council,” Olem said. “His imprint on our operations will be felt long after his departure. We wish him well as he undertakes a new professional challenge in Stafford.”
The town says an interim town manager and plans for a permanent successor will be announced “shortly.”
Ashton’s impending departure follows other leadership changes in the town, which hired a new parks and recreation director and its first economic development director earlier this year.
