Clayton County’s new leadership continued its overhaul of top government Tuesday, adding two key jobs to rein in finances and create better accountability among the nearly two dozen departments.
The county plans to hire a chief operating officer and a chief financial officer, jobs created Tuesday in a 3-2 vote by the County Commission.
The COO will earn about $130,000 a year while the CFO’s job will pay about $104,000 a year.
The board jettisoned the chief of staff position, which has been vacant since Alex Cohilas retired in 2011. The creation of the new jobs follows last week’s ouster of Wade Starr from his $150,000-a-year county manager’s job. Starr will receive the rest of his pay and benefits, which total about $90,000.
Commissioner Gail Hambrick, who opposed Starr’s dismissal, questioned the need for the two new jobs.
“If it’s saving citizens money, I’m for it,” Hambrick told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “(But) they’re using two positions to do the job that our former county manager did.”
She expressed concern that the positions have been created before the new members of the commission have had a chance to become acquainted with the county’s full budgetary needs.
“We haven’t even done the budget yet,” she said.
New Chairman Jeff Turner said he would like to see the jobs filled within the next 30 days but that his main aim is to “make sure the people are the best fit for Clayton County and my administration.”
The search will center on local or regional candidates, Turner said.
“I want people who have Clayton County’s best interest at heart and will do right by employees,” he said.
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