Cobb Jobs
Public Safety Agency Director
Salary: $101,587.20 - $165,651.20
Oversees: Police, fire, 9-1-1, internal affairs, animal control.
To qualify: Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, public administration, or related; 10 years professional experience in public safety and management or equivalent.
Public Services Agency Director
Salary: $96,803 - $157,809 per year
Oversees: Elections, parks and recreation, libraries, senior services and extension services.
To qualify: Bachelor's degree in public or business administration or similar; 10 years executive management experience or equivalent.
Support Services Agency Director
Salary: $96,803.20 - $157,809.60 per year
Oversees: Government services center, fleet management, information services, property management, purchasing and the tax assessor's office.
To qualify: Bachelor's degree in business or public administration or related; 10 years of executive management experience or an equivalent.
Source: Cobb County
Cobb County officials are closing in on making new hires for three top leadership positions, who will oversee key county services and millions in taxpayer dollars.
By year’s end, the county expects to name new directors of support services, which includes purchasing and tax assessment, and public services, which includes elections, parks and libraries. A third director — public safety, which manages police, fire and animal control — will likely be named in January.
The combined salaries will cost taxpayers about $295,000 to $481,000, based on predetermined pay ranges.
Two of the positions have been vacant for years, leaving some commissioners to question whether replacements are necessary. But members of a citizen’s oversight committee reviewed staffing and concluded the county’s longtime manager, David Hankerson, was overseeing too many departments.
David Welden, who served on the oversight committee, said Cobb needs to prepare for Hankerson’s eventual retirement and staffing the three key positions is a good start. Hankerson has been county manager since 1993.
“Because of his experience and his relationship with the people, he’s been pretty good at keeping his fingers in the dike when we lose key positions,” Welden said. “If he retires, there’s going to be a big gaping hole and we’re going to be wishing we had some people.”
East Cobb Commissioner Bob Ott disagreed. He said none the positions may need to be filled and pointed specifically to the public services director position, which hasn’t had permanent leadership since Bob Ash retired in 2010.
“We have to be careful and make sure every person we hire, besides being qualified, is in a position that needs to be filled,” he said. “Anytime you have positions that have gone empty for certain period of time, that brings into question whether it is really needed.”
Ott also said the county needs to consider outside applicants to fill these positions.
County officials say the vacancies were posted on local, state and national websites. Hundreds of applications were narrowed down by human resources and forwarded to committees for interviews. Finalists are referred to Hankerson, who will conduct another round of interviews and make a final recommendation to commissioners for approval.
Hankerson said the county is looking for people who will get involved with the community and who are trustworthy, in light of recent government scandals in other counties.
“We put a lot of emphasis on honesty and integrity,” he said. “That’s a question we ask every candidate: What are your key qualifications? I’m always a little disappointed if they don’t mention integrity and honesty.”
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