Adams County administrator’s job attracts 25 applicants

NATCHEZ, Miss. (Dec. 4) – About 25 people have applied for the Adams County administrator’s job that’s been filled temporarily by Chancery Clerk Brandi Lewis for nearly a year since county supervisors ousted Angie King in January.

They plan to review resumes and select prospects to interview later this month, said county board President Warren Gaines. “I think we need to appoint a county administrator as soon as possible,” he said.

The job involves overseeing the daily operations of county government, including a $46 million annual budget and 200 or so employees under the governance of the five-member county Board of Supervisors. The board has posted the county administrator’s annual salary at $100,000.

Citing King’s poor management abilities, the board voted 3-2 last January not to reappoint her as the county’s chief financial and administrative officer. While supervisors reviewed applicants and narrowed the list since then, they’ve either backed out or were deemed unqualified.

The board then stalled hiring a new administrator in recent months knowing anyone hired would face an uncertain future as new supervisors could potentially be elected and want to hire someone else in January when the new term begins. All five incumbent county supervisors were retained with the recent elections. Supervisors reopened the application process last month to seek more prospects.

Lewis has been acting  county administrator in addition to her other duties as county board secretary and chief clerk for the Adams County Chancery Court. King tried to unseat Lewis as Adams County chancery clerk in the August elections but lost by about 150 votes.

Former Pike County administrator Chuck Lambert was retained by the Adams County board to help with financial duties part-time that included forming the budget for the fiscal year that began in October.

With county IT director Brandon Gordon resigning last month, the board today agreed to hire a private contractor for the short term to handle county government’s information technology operations that include its website.