Former county administrator Alex Cohilas was brought out of retirement Tuesday night to oversee the day-to-day operations of Clayton County for the next six months.
In a 3-2 vote, commissioners voted to hire Cohilas. He reports Wednesday morning to his new job as chief operating officer, filling a void created last month after commissioners fired COO Arrelle Anderson without cause.
Cohilas’ return to county government came after a contentious session Tuesday night in which commissioners squabbled over the terms of Cohilas’ contract and members of the community expressed their displeasure over his appointment. As COO, Cohilas will earn about $65,000 for six months of work and continue drawing a county pension, a benefit he earned from his days as chief of staff and fire chief of the county.
Commissioners Michael Edmondson, Gail Hambrick and Sonna Gregory voted to hire Cohilas. Chairman Jeff Turner and Commissioner Shana Rooks opposed the decision.
Rooks, calling upon her trial law background, asked a series of questions about Cohilas’ background. She specifically asked Edmondson how he was selected. Edmondson refused to answer.
“Does he have a bachelor’s in business administration or public administration or finance?” she asked of human resources director Renee Bright. Bright said she did not know. Cohilas did not submit a resume or an application for the job, unlike candidates for other top positions have had to do.
Cohilas has a high school diploma. Anderson, his predecessor, had three degrees, including an MBA.
Before the vote, Turner implored the board to conduct a national search for Anderson’s replacement.
“Seems like we are circumventing and delaying the hiring process,” Turner said. “We should be looking to fill the job full-time. It looks bad to me. That’s not the way this board should be addressing this issue. We should have a nationwide search rather than put a bandaid over this siatuion.”
His request fell on deaf ears. Cohilas’ hire comes at the same time the board denied a third candidate for the job as head of the Central Services division, which oversees contracts.
Edmondson, Gregory and Hambrick declined to talk. The decision to hire Cohilas did not sit well with some residents.
Prior to the vote, Rev. Wilbert Jordan called the decision to hire Cohilas “a slap in the face” to the community.
“The citizens deserve better,” Jordan said.
Rev. Jeff Benoit told the commissioners during the public comment session that the Cohilas hire “reeks of a takeover.”
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