Spruill's resignation comes during a period of flux for the county | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Beaufort County will have a new landscape at the start of fiscal year 2011-2012. Not only will Beaufort County Hospital be at the dawn of its indenture to University Health Systems and Beaufort County citizens will be facing either property-tax increases or a reduction in county services; but Beaufort County will be under new management, as well.

    Announced yesterday, in a letter to Beaufort County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jerry Langley, eight-year Beaufort County Manager Paul Spruill will be resigning from his post, effective June 24, two years before the expiration of his current contract, to fill the position of Chief Executive Officer of Tideland Electric Membership Corporation, left open by Cecil Smith, Jr. in February.

    Since July 2003, Spruill has been a steadying force in the county, amidst equally constant disturbances. He helped avert the U.S. Navy's attempt to build an outlying landing field in the region, state efforts to rewrite coastal stormwater-runoff regulations, environmental activists' attempts to prevent PCS Phosphate from obtaining necessary permits that allowed it to continue mining in Aurora, and much more. During heated political county meetings, Spruill has provided calm, clear and concise clarifications of the elected officials' arguments and detailed justifications for county-proposed programs and positions.

Beaufort County Manager Paul Spruill at a county budget workshop in June 2010.

    Beaufort County Clerk to the Board, and Spruill's right-hand woman, Sharon Singleton, expressed feelings regarding Spruill's resignation, in a telephone interview yesterday, that have yet to find a foil.

    "It's fortunate for us that he'll be staying in the neighborhood," said Singleton. "People like that--even if we can't have them as our manager, or as our coworkers--we are lucky to keep them as part of our community."

    Spruill's decision to step aside as county manager had nothing to do with any sort of dissatisfaction with his current job's requirements or annual salary of $135,000, he said during a telephone interview yesterday.

    "I've never regretted a single day serving in the public office of county manager. But for a very unusual opportunity for me to advance my career while remaining in the community, I would still be in the office that I'm in now subsequent to June 24," said Spruill.

    Instead, his decision take the position with Tideland EMC was as measured and professional as have been the large majority of his words and actions throughout his very public vocation as county manager. Tideland EMC, with headquarters in Pantego, is a very expansive and influential company--providing electricity to more than 20,000 people in Beaufort, Craven, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico and Washington counties--and as its CEO, Spruill will have more upward mobility going forward.

    "This opportunity is the sensible next step in my career; not only due to the size of the organization and the number of eastern North Carolinians that it serves, but also due to an opportunity for me to learn about the role of leadership within a sizeable electric utility," said Spruill, in the interview.

    Before his departure, Spruill will present his proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year and assist the commissioners during budget workshops until a new budget is passed.

    During his tenure as county manager, Spruill has been very responsive to the pressure from his elected board of commissioners to "streamline personnel, while providing incentives for performance," as Spruill said in an interview back in August 2010. That month, Beaufort County enjoyed the distinction of being designated, by Civitas Institute, one of the most efficient counties in North Carolina. Even though its population increased 5.4 percent from 2000 to 2009, Beaufort County trimmed its workforce by 22.4 percent during the same time period.

    "I would hope as the county commissioners navigate the 2012 budget process, the elected body will look back over the eight years that I've been here as a period of time that resulted in sound fiscal management that came in the face of incredibly unusual economic hardships," said Spruill in yesterday's interview.

    The Beaufort County Board of Commissioners began advertising for Spruill’s successor with the N.C. Association of County Commissioners, yesterday. The board hopes to have a new county manager in place before Sept. 1, and will divert to the leadership of Beaufort County Assistant Manager and Finance Officer Jim Chrisman in the interim.


    For the initial report and commentary from Beaufort County Commissioner Stan Deatherage, click here.

Advertisement for a new Beaufort County Manager (as posted with the N.C. Association of County Commissioners)

Deadline for applications: May 23

County Manager - Beaufort County (47,759, Census-2010) is home to miles of waterfront property along the Pamlico and Pungo Rivers and the ICW. The County is seeking a highly experienced manager to serve as administrative head of county government with duties including but not limited to the exercise of leadership and supervision among county department leaders and staff; communication and implementation of all policies, orders, and regulations of the Board of Commissioners; preparation of periodic reports to the Board of Commissioners as to the operation of the county; the accountability to a seven-member Board of Commissioners. Requires education/experience equivalent to Master's degree in public administration or related field. Prefer at least ten years of local government experience (preferably as a county or municipal manager in North Carolina). Compensation is negotiable. Submit completed state application (form-PD 107) accessible at www.ncacc.org or www.co.beaufort.nc.us along with cover letter and resume (all in strict confidence), to County Manager Search, Beaufort County Government, 121 West Third Street, Washington, NC 27889. For additional information, contact Clerk to the Board, Sharon Singleton, 252-946-0079 or sharon.singleton@co.beaufort.nc.us. Application deadline: May 23, 2011. Beaufort County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Posted on April 11, 2011.