EAST SPENCER — Four months after interim Town Administrator F.E. Isenhour resigned, the town has taken steps to hire East Spencer native Darrell Foxx for the job permanently.

Foxx, who has most recently lived in Dubai, a city in the Middle Eastern country of the United Arab Emirates, has moved back to his hometown. He waited in the lobby Monday night while the town board spoke in closed session and was called into council chambers at one point.

The board met in closed session for nearly two hours.

Foxx said later the town made him an offer for the job and he made a counteroffer.

After the closed session, Town Attorney Jeff Morris said the board was “meeting with a candidate for the position of town administrator, and the negotiations are ongoing.”

Foxx is the uncle of Alderman Tony Hillian, who recently announced that he is running for mayor.

Isenhour became interim administrator in December 2016 when former Administrator David Jaynes resigned after 15 months on the job. Isenhour had been the town planner since 2014.

At the time of Isenhour’s resignation, Mayor Barbara Mallett said the board wanted to go in a different direction.

East Spencer has had a number of town administrators in recent years. Macon Sammons Jr. stepped down from the job in 2015 to become grants and special projects coordinator. Sammons was hired in 2011 after the manager before him, Donnie Jones, left in the spring of 2010 for health reasons.

Jones was hired in December 2009 with little experience serving as a town manager.

Richard Hunter fired in May 2009 after the board said it wanted someone more accessible. Hunter had commuted from Durham for four years.

The board recessed Monday’s meeting until  5 p.m. Thursday.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.