Shepherdstown Town Council member Cheryl Roberts, left, shakes hands with new Town Administrator Gino Sisco, after the announcement in Town Hall on Jan. 8. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — On Jan. 27, the Corporation of Shepherdstown will be welcoming a new town administrator, following a six-month-long search after the departure of its first town administrator this past summer.

The search was conducted nationwide, according to Mayor James Gatz. However, he was pleased to note that the best candidate for the position ended up being one who already had deep ties to Shepherdstown and the surrounding community.

Shepherd University alumnus Gino Sisco, of Bolivar, will be stepping into the role of town administrator. He comes to the position with extensive experience in political advocacy and financial due diligence and with a master’s degree in public policy from American University in Washington, D.C. Currently, he is employed as Jefferson County Health Department’s local health administrator and executive director. He serves on the Harpers Ferry-Bolivar Water Commission board of directors and, previously, served as the president of the Jefferson County Development Authority’s board of directors.

“Mr. Sisco is a skilled manager with significant experience in leading staff teams, budgeting and addressing complex issues. He has excellent credentials and a positive can-do attitude,” Gatz said. “We are thrilled and eager to welcome him to Town Hall.”

As town administrator, Sisco will be managing the Corporation of Shepherdstown’s daily operations, which will include its finances, five departments and 34 part-time and full-time employees. He will report directly to Gatz and will also provide support for Town Council and committee activities.

“My job here will be to support them, to make sure they are able to focus on what they were elected to do — projects that they were elected to fulfill and promises they were elected to perform and fulfill,” Sisco said. “So, my job is to ensure that the day-to-day is run well enough that they can focus on those type of things — longterm strategic goals, longterm planning, longterm ideas, longterm projects — those types of things. To me, managing the budget is huge, because the money is what funds and supports everything that the community wants done.”

Sisco said that, as a former Shepherdstown resident, he is thrilled to be stepping into this role.

“It’s hard to articulate just how excited I am,” Sisco said. “I love Shepherdstown! I used to live here. I went to school here. I met my wife here and we got married here. I lived here with my wife for a few years, before we bought our house in Bolivar. I love the town! It holds a very significant place in my heart. And I always wanted to come back.”

In fact, when the town administrator position was first created a couple of years ago, Sisco was one of the many people who applied for it. And, although he was saddened to not be selected for the position at that time, he believes that it all worked out for the best, as in the meantime he completed his master’s degree and gained more relevant, professional experience.

“I would say this is not only my dream job, but that it also hits all of the right professional goals and at the same time allows me to be part of a community that I love,” Sisco, who is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, said. “This holds a very particular, personal place in my heart.

“I’ve always wanted to be here. I’ve always wanted to live here again. I’ve always wanted to work here,” Sisco said. “When the town administrator position first opened up, I applied for it, but I guess I wasn’t considered for it at the time because I didn’t have the experience. Now, I have that!”