McCoy officially lone administrator finalist

ALBANY — As reported over the weekend by The Albany Herald, the Dougherty County Commission on Monday officially named current interim County Administrator Mike McCoy the sole finalist to take over the position vacated by Richard Crowdis in January.

A two-week waiting period now goes into effect, during which citizens may register comments — both for and against the candidate — with their representatives on the County Commission. The commission will vote after that period on whether to name McCoy to the position.

“I’m not really familiar with the next step of the process; we’re just going through the process step-by-step as prescribed by the county,” McCoy said Monday after the commission completed its business meeting. “To get this far along in the process is certainly an honor, but it’s only a step in the process.”

The process McCoy spoke of has taken more than a year to reach this point. Crowdis told the commission in February of last year that he would retire at the end of the year. The commission entered into a contract with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government to conduct a nationwide search. In December, the commission — reportedly dissatisfied with results presented by the Vinson Institute — had the agency expand the search and consider other candidates.

In the meantime, an ugly altercation between McCoy and District 2 Commissioner John Hayes, during which McCoy said Hayes physically and verbally assaulted him in an elevator at a Savannah hotel, resurfaced. McCoy’s attorney, Maurice King, sent an ante litem (intent to file a lawsuit) notice to the board claiming that McCoy was being retaliated against by Hayes and three other commissioners.

In the notice, King leveled a number of claims against the commission, including violation of McCoy’s constitutional rights, defamation, libel, and failure to provide a workplace free of harassment and retaliation. King and others close to the situation said the commissioners who oppose his client are being influenced by, among others, a state legislator, local pastors in some of Albany’s larger churches and “outsiders” who have no standing in the community.

McCoy, meanwhile, chose to keep a low profile in light of Monday’s announcement by the commission.

“I appreciate the historic significance of this honor, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” he said. “As far as I am concerned, the process is ongoing.”