They agreed it was time to bring a full-time administrator to the county instead of the previous position of clerk/administrator.
The last clerk/administrator, Leigh Williams, resigned in late January after 15 years with the county. Williams resigned following the disclosure earlier in January of a sheriff’s investigation into a hidden camera in the county human resources director’s office. No criminal charges were filed by prosecutors.
Twenty people applied for the position following the initial job posting.
Instead of interviewing, the commissioners said last week they would notify the applicants of their decision to have a consultant assist with applications and hiring.
They agreed May 6 to hire a familiar face to assist in the process. Gary Huff, who retired last year as Piqua city manager and now has Paddle Creek Consulting, was chosen.
Huff will be paid up to $13,500.
Huff will handle advertising for the position, provide recruitment briefings to commissioners, review resumes and provide screening assistance, do preliminary interview assistance, coordinate final candidate interviews and conduct contract negotiations/mediation, if desired.
“We felt it was the best thing to do,” Commissioner Ted Mercer said of bringing in a consultant for the administrator search.
“We want to do this right,” Commission President Greg Simmons said.
The commissioners earlier said they hoped to have an administrator by the end of May but that date no longer is realistic.
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