Deputy Admin Named as Acting Administrator for Two Weeks
WINNSBORO – After 13 months and three tries, Fairfield County Council has failed to put a new county administrator in place.
Instead, council members voted Monday night to name the county’s deputy administrator, Synithia Williams, to serve as acting administrator for only two weeks.
Chairman Doug Pauley did not comment after the vote as to council’s next step moving forward, but did say that Johnson had left the county’s employ and wished her well in her retirement. Pauley had continued to support Johnson, praising her for the job she has done. Johnson was paid $150,000 for the past year. The Voice has not been able to review Johnson’s contract to know if that was her entire compensation during the 13 months she served the county as interim administrator.
A statement was issued by the county on Wednesday stating that Johnson’s contract had expired. One council member told The Voice that there was not a majority consensus to renew Johnson’s contract.
The council member said Pauley planned to instruct the County Attorney Tommy Morgan to find – during the next two weeks – a qualified person to serve as interim administrator until a further search can be conducted for a permanent administrator. At press time, Pauley had not responded to an inquiry from The Voice seeking confirmation of this information.
The vote naming Williams as acting administrator following executive session Monday night followed two failed votes taken at a special called meeting on Wed., Jan. 17. At that meeting, council was considering three candidates for the administrator position: Matt DeWitt, former administrator of the City of Newberry; Frank Hart, former supervisor of Union County; and Laura Johnson, the county’s current interim administrator for the past 13 months.
Councilman Clarence Gilbert made a motion to hire Johnson. Councilman Dan Ruff offered a substitute motion to hire DeWitt. The vote for DeWitt was 3 – 3 with Councilwoman Shirley Greene abstaining, saying she supported starting the hiring process over.
Voting for DeWitt were councilmembers Dan Ruff, Tim Roseborough, and Peggy Swearingen. Voting against were Pauley and Councilmen Clarence Gilbert and Neal Robinson. A tie vote is a failed vote.
The vote for Johnson was also a 3 – 3 tie vote with Greene abstaining again. Pauley, Gilbert and Robinson voted for Johnson and Ruff, Roseborough, and Swearingen voted against.
Some council members said privately that they did not consider Hart because of his preference to not relocate. It is a requirement of the job description for the county administrator to live in Fairfield County.
The two tie votes during the special called meeting set up the vote on Monday night.
Five citizens made comments on Monday night concerning the administrator search.
Donna Wilkins urged council to make a selection from the applications they have and not to restart the hiring process.
“We have an applicant with a lot of experience. We need someone with experience to help us grow,” Wilkins said. “Please look again at the man with 16 years of experience and hire him and not the person who has not much experience.”
Don Goldbach also called on council to not start the process over.
“Starting over is a waste of money,” Goldbach said. “You have the information to make an informed decision. You’ve listened a lot to your attorney, but how much have you listened to your constituents?”
Gene Stephens, who was hired by Johnson three months ago as the county’s public information officer, pushed back against council for not hiring Johnson.
Stephens said he was speaking on behalf of the county’s employees and that the employees were happy with the county’s leadership.
“The employees are busting their tail with a smile on their face,” Stephens said. “They’re excited because the county is doing great things.”
He said he has a long list of the county’s accomplishments since Johnson came, though he said he didn’t bring the list with him.
He also claimed that council members had told employees they don’t matter.
“Now employees don’t feel supported,” Stephens said. “They feel lost, because you all say they don’t matter …you told us you don’t care about employees.”
Stephens claimed employees are afraid to say anything for fear of retribution.
“I am very good at my job,” he said, “but as a county employee and all the rest of the staff, we feel you don’t support us.”
No other employees or staff spoke out on the issue.
Ruff countered Stephen’s accusations that council had told employees they don’t matter.
“That is not true,” Ruff said.
