Bluffton’s town manager among 3 finalists for county administrator position
The Beaufort County Council announced three finalists for the county administrator position on Friday evening.
The list includes Bluffton’s Town Manager Marc Orlando; Ashley Jacobs, assistant county administrator for Aiken County; and Eric Larson, Beaufort County’s director of environmental engineering and land management, according to a news release from the county.
The candidates are expected to participate in a second round of interviews on Monday.
More than 70 people applied for the job, The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette previously reported. That number was first narrowed down to 10 names by a Chicago-based hiring firm, and then six applicants were interviewed.
Interim administrator John Weaver told the newspapers earlier this month that the goal was to offer a candidate the position before the county’s March 14 and 15 strategic planning retreat.
Former administrator Gary Kubic announced his retirement in September 2017.
Josh Gruber, formerly Kubic’s deputy administrator, was named interim administrator before he left in July for a position as Hilton head Island’s assistant town manager.
Tom Keaveny — formerly on Gruber’s staff as county attorney — then became interim county administrator July 23. In October, Keaveny stepped down as interim administrator after County Council members voted to investigate the legality of his decision to award a consulting contract to Gruber for $24,000 from Aug. 6 to Oct. 8, with options for 30-day extensions at $12,000 apiece.
This story was originally published February 22, 2019 at 8:08 PM.
