Promotion puts Gruber in line to become next county administrator

Josh Gruber appears to be a leading contender to succeed county administrator Gary Kubic, who has said he might retire at the end of next year.

Kubic announced Monday that Gruber has been promoted from county attorney to deputy county administrator, replacing Bryan Hill. The move is widely considered by county leaders as an endorsement for Gruber as the next administrator.

County Council Chairman Paul Sommerville said this week that Gruber fits both roles perfectly and should become the next county administrator, adding that Gruber already had taken on many administrative duties since Hill left.

"He already works hand-in-glove on so many of these issues; I'm very excited about it," Sommerville said.

Hill spent seven years as deputy administrator before he was named the county administrator for James City County, Va., in early August. He started there this month.

Many on staff and on council, including Kubic, had discussed Hill as heir apparent. However, Hill said last month the opportunity in Virginia was too good to pass up.

After Hill's departure, council members and Kubic said the next deputy administrator should be chosen with the understanding that he or she would eventually replace Kubic, who has been with the county 10 years. That would give that person a year of hands-on training with Kubic and ensure a seamless transition before Kubic's contract expires at the end of next year, council members agreed last month.

However, neither Kubic nor Gruber would confirm this week that such a plan has been established for Gruber or whether the county might conduct a formal search for the administrator position.

"I think (Gruber's) a great guy; I think he's doing a fabulous job with what he's done," Councilman Jerry Stewart said Tuesday. "We'll see how he performs in the new position and go from there."

The council will be required to either renew Kubic's contract or hire a new administrator before the contract expires at the end of December 2015.

Gruber will continue as staff attorney while the county conducts a statewide search for his replacement, Kubic said. He will now receive a $115,000 annual salary, up from $96,500.

Gruber joined the county as a staff attorney in 2011, after serving two years in the same position for Berkeley County.

An Ohio native, Gruber studied political science at Clemson University before earning a master's degree in public administration from Georgia State University. He earned his law degree at Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio.

"Almost every issue we deal with every day has some kind of legal component, and public administration is in my background," Gruber said. "We'll see what the future has in store, but I'm excited, and I'm certainly up for the challenge."

Follow reporter Zach Murdock at twitter.com/IPBG_Zach.

Related content:

• Beaufort County Council tie vote denies funding for economic-development group, Sept. 22, 2014
• Beaufort County's second-in-command tapped for administrator job in Virginia, Aug. 8 , 2014

This story was originally published September 23, 2014 at 6:27 PM with the headline "Promotion puts Gruber in line to become next county administrator."