CARLTON FLETCHER: Dougherty board bungles administrator selection

Power to the people, right on.

— John Lennon

As they tiptoe around the rumblings that the selection of a county administrator to replace Richard Crowdis has generated, choosing their words carefully, the seven members of the Dougherty County Commission have attempted to remain diplomatic.

But with each passing day, those rumblings grow deeper and speculation runs even more rampant.

I’ve talked with most commissioners about the situation, and while several have opened up a bit off the record about their personal concerns with the process, the board appears to be making every effort to, as Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas said this week, “come to a consensus.”

Much of the speculation about the circumstances surrounding the selection process has focused on current Assistant County Administrator Mike McCoy. McCoy has been with the county for 19 years and, from all indications, has done a superb job. He’s been recognized by state agencies for his work, but the biggest item McCoy has on the plus side of his ledger is that Crowdis — who has stayed completely out of the selection process — has acknowledged McCoy’s work as assistant administrator.

It was McCoy, Crowdis points out, who served as the county’s go-to guy for storm recovery administration and implementation in the aftermath of January weather events that devastated the community. And the current county administrator, who is one of the most respected managers in the state, did acknowledge that he started giving McCoy more and more responsibility as he drew closer to retirement-ready.

Talk in the community — and it is circulating throughout the community, not just in one sector or the other — suggests that McCoy’s run-in with District 2 Commissioner John Hayes during a county-sponsored student field trip in Savannah is what’s kept McCoy from being named the county’s first black administrator. And, individuals who are talking loudest say, noting the irony, it is the four black commissioners on the board who are blocking McCoy’s appointment.

The fallout of the Savannah incident, during which Hayes was accused of verbally and physically attacking McCoy when the two got into a confrontation about very adult circumstances at the school field trip, led McCoy to file a hostile work environment claim against the county. That claim was eventually settled.

There are others who refute the line of thinking that Hayes is responsible for keeping McCoy from moving into the administrator’s seat, suggesting that Hayes does not have the political influence to bend Clinton Johnson, Anthony Jones and Gloria Gaines to his will. And while Hayes is the second-longest-serving member of the board, the Savannah incident certainly did nothing to strengthen his influence.

Still, the fact remains that Crowdis is staying on as administrator for at least an additional month at taxpayers’ expense while the County Commission reopens the application process, purportedly to further its “due diligence” in finding the right person to serve in the position that’s been in good hands under men like Crowdis, Alan Reddish and Carl Levy.

Johnson, the youngest member of the commission, said Friday he understands the frustration surrounding the wrangling that’s developed around the process of choosing Crowdis’ successor. But he said he personally wants only to find the best man or woman for the job.

“All of us are coming at this from different points of view,” the District 3 commissioner said. “I can tell you that I have no agenda in this, and I don’t believe the other commissioners do either. I truly believe everyone wants this to be the right decision because of the people like Richard and Alan Reddish who have served in this job over the last several decades.

“Look, the man or woman we select may be Mike. And while doing something historic like naming the first African-American administrator is something that always gets attention, the truth is I want us to get the person — man or woman, black, white or whatever — who will do the best job. Choosing an administrator is important, but what’s most important is doing what’s best for our community. I think we’ll do that in good faith and keep moving in a positive direction.”

Exacerbating the issue for the public is the fact that, according to County Attorney Spencer Lee, the commission is keeping the number of finalists above three so that it doesn’t, under its interpretation of state law and the direction of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, have to reveal the names of the finalists. This veil of secrecy and the apparent bungling of the process that’s been ongoing for well more than half a year will likely keep the rumbling building until a decision is finally made.

Email Carlton Fletcher at [email protected]. Follow @ABH_Fletcher on Twitter.

Staff Photo