Bill Ashton, Herndon’s acting town manager, is flanked by his family, Mayor Lisa Merkel and members of the Herndon Town Council during his swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 24. Ashton, the town’s IT director, is taking the interim post for when Art Anselene, the town’s manager since 2007, retires on Feb. 28. Merkel and the council will be conducting a comprehensive search for a permanent successor to Anselene.