Sistrunk, Dockery accept Lee co-manager positions

LEESBURG — In a move that surprised no one, Lee County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to remove “interim” from the titles of County Co-managers Christi Dockery and Mike Sistrunk, officially promoting the long-time county employees to new roles.

The move, which had been all but guaranteed following an executive session at the commission’s Sept. 26 meeting, comes after Dockery, who has served as county clerk since 2000, and Sistrunk, who has served in the county’s Public Works department since 2003, have distinguished themselves in the interim roles for the better part of the past six months.

“I’m excited,” said Dockery of the promotion. “And I’m honored to be considered for this appointment.”

“We’re thrilled the commissioners gave us this opportunity,” added Sistrunk. “They didn’t have to do that. They gave us an opportunity, and it’s up to us to run with it.”

Taking the ball and carrying it forward is not new for either county co-manager. The general consensus is they’ve been doing that repeatedly since the commission voted to make them interim co-managers in April, temporarily filling the position left vacant after the dismissal of former county manager Ron Rabun almost a year ago.

The duo have been instrumental in providing guidance throughout this year’s budgeting process, as well as overseeing the merger of the Planning, Building Inspection and Zoning departments to improve efficiency.

Dockery and Sistrunk have also formed committees to research and revise personnel policies and codes of ordinances, and led efforts to further collaborations between the County Commission, the Board of Education, various authorities, the city of Smithville, the city of Leesburg and various other entities.

The co-managers were also instrumental in the hiring of Wesley Wells as the interim director of the county’s newly formed Public Safety Department, which oversees fire, EMS and 911 services for Lee County, something they both say they feel was a good move for the community.

“Wesley Wells has taken on a great deal, and I think he is doing a very good job,” said Dockery. “I think that’s one of the best things we’ve done.”

Another popular move that the pair was involved in was providing valuable oversight of two recent vendor change orders related to ongoing county paving projects. That oversight, according to commission Chairman Rick Muggridge, ultimately saved the county an estimated $240,000.

Those kinds of decisions also impressed Commissioner Billy Mathis and helped to strengthen the belief he’s held for some time, that making Dockery and Sistrunk co-managers is the right move for the county.

“They’ve been really hands-on,” said Mathis. “They latched onto a couple of things, a couple of road projects, that have saved the county money, a considerable amount of money. They really seem to be looking at the specifics, the details, and details matter. It’s easy sometimes in county government to spend taxpayers’ money, but a lot of times you can save money by paying attention. We know what we’ve got. They’re going to do a fine job.”

Mathis also said he thinks the decision to promote from within sends the right message to other county employees.

“Hiring from within lifts the morale of all employees,” he said. “It shows them if you work hard and do a good job, you can make it to the top.”

While the elevation of Dockery and Sistrunk might be seen as making it to the top, both co-managers say they believe they are simply part of a team of important players, all of whom strive to do a good job and give their best to the county.

“We’re just blessed that in this (T. Page Tharpe) building and in Public Works, that we’ve got great folks that keep us all grounded,” said Sistrunk. “That’s the truth, whether it be Building Inspection, whether it be Human Resources, whether it be whatever. When you’ve got a staff that you can trust, it makes things a lot easier. And we trust the folks that are around here.”

In addition to continuing to work with county staff, the newly hired managers say they are also excited to continue working with the current board of commissioners, a group they say they believe is trying to do good things for the people of Lee County.

“I’m thrilled to work with this board,” Dockery said. “I think this board wants to take action, and I think they really want to accomplish things. They’re engaged, and they want to make a difference. They’re very accessible to us; we can call them any time, they call us. That’s exciting to be a part of.

“The commissioners and the county employees have a commitment to Lee County, and it shows.”

Additionally, the pair say they are also excited to continue working with each other, having built a strong rapport and good working relationship over the past six months.

“You know we’ve disagreed, and there have been some small issues, but we’ve listened to the other side,” Dockery said. “I think overall, we’re eager to work together and we’re eager to accomplish and get things done.”

“We can be honest with one another,” added Sistrunk. “It’s good to know you can take the advice and listen. You might not always go along with it, but you can at least listen to it. That’s an important thing.

“Like Christi said, we might not always agree with something, but we come to an understanding that we’ve got to do what’s best. And even though I might bite my lip sometimes and she might bite her lip sometimes, we understand we’re doing what we’re doing for the right reasons.”

Both new co-managers say they believe they will be successful due to the fact that they both want what’s best for Lee County and its citizens. They say they want to see the community continue to be a source of pride.