The Town of Orange has a new interim town manager.
On Wednesday, town officials announced the appointment of Christopher H. Snider as the interim town manager. Snider began serving as the town’s director of economic development approximately seven weeks ago. He has extensive experience in government, having served in the House of Representatives working for former congressmen Eric Cantor, Dave Brat and Bob Good from 2012 to 2024. He has also worked for the U.S. Senate for Senator Bryce Reeves. Snider was elected to the Culpeper Town Council in 2004 and 2008.
Snider holds an associate’s degree in business administration from Germanna Community College and a bachelor’s degree in leadership and management from the University of Mary Washington.
According to a town press release, Snider is honored to be taking on the role of interim town manager to execute the town council’s vision and serve the residents of the town. He is planning to relocate to Orange with his wife, Keli.
Longtime Orange Town Manager Greg Woods announced his resignation in August following a performance evaluation. Woods, who has been with the town for more than 16 years, took issue with comments provided by council members in the evaluation document, particularly those of two members. He declined to name them, but it was clear from past cantankerous interactions that members Jeremiah Pent and Jason Cashell were the alleged culprits. Both have long been questioned regarding their residency, with many pointing out that Pent’s home, Arcadia at Edgewood, is located in Madison County while Cashell’s home, Mayhurst, is located in Orange County, outside of town limits.
Woods said the two council members with the negative comments had no organizational management or administrative skills, but had instead “created problems through interference specifically in relation to Town Code Sections 2.83, b and d.” Those sections deal with the duties of the town manager, particularly the ability to manage town employees. In his letter, Woods stated that the two council members had tried to influence personnel decisions, thereby creating interference. He also said the two had never attended the Virginia Municipal League’s new council member training or Freedom of Information Act and Conflict of Interest Act training. One, Woods said, only attended one of his assigned committee meetings and the other attended only meetings for new committees he wishes to be involved in for his benefit. The two were said to only bring forth ideas regarding issues already reviewed in the past and rarely attend town events other than those sponsored by the Orange Downtown Alliance.
Following the receipt of Woods’ resignation, the council convened in an emergency meeting during which time members voted 3-2 to accept Woods’ resignation effective Sept. 26. Pent and Cashell cast the dissenting votes after a lengthy closed session. Additional closed sessions on the topic of the town manager position were held Sept. 9, 15, 18 and 23.
The council voted to name Snider as interim town manager 3-2 with Cashell and Pent dissenting.
