Tag Archive for: #vancecountymanager

The Local Skinny! Vacant County Director Roles Now Filled

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Back in February, Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry was just a few months into her new job. On top of gearing up to prepare the county’s annual budget and getting up to speed on some of the unique challenges and opportunities across the county she was now responsible for, Perry also faced having to fill a good handful of county positions, including five directors of departments.

Perry turned a negative into a positive at the time, and said back in February that she chose to see the vacancies as a chance for her to build her own leadership team.

When Vance County announced Tuesday that it had selected a new Social Services Director, that “team” is officially complete.

Sandy Weaver began her new role as DSS director effective Oct. 1, as did Jeremy T. Jones as assistanc county manager.

And Perry won’t celebrate her first anniversary as county manager until Nov. 1.

One by one, the vacancies have been filled:

·       Budget and Finance director – Stephanie Williams;

·       Animal Services manager – William Coker;

·       Planning director – Sherry Moss;

·       Elections director- Haley Rawles;

·       Economic Development director – Ferdinand A. Rouse;

·       DSS director – Sandy Weaver

·       Chief Code Enforcement Officer – Bob Rosch

The code enforcement office is located in the same office as planning, but it will function as a separate department with Rosch as the department head, county staff noted.

Vance County Names New DSS Director

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Vance County has named a new director of Social Services.

Sandy Weaver assumed the role effective today, Oct. 1.

According to County Manager C. Renee Perry, Weaver has worked in the department as the Interim Social Work Program Administrator since July 30, 2024.

In the coming months, Perry said Weaver will be working with previous interim director Wayne Black to completely transition to her new role.

“We are thrilled to have Sandy join our team,” said Perry. “Her extensive background in social services as well as management will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our county’s services and ensure the well-being of our citizens.”

She previously served as deputy director for the Johnston County Department of Social Services for four years and as the assistant director for the Cumberland County Department of Social Services for approximately three years. Before that, she was a Social Work Program Administrator and Social Work Supervisor in Scotland County for three years.

She began her Social Services career in Columbus County in 2011 and held the positions of Lead Adult Protective Services worker, Adult Home Specialist and Social Work Supervisor/Child Protective Services Facilitator. She previously served as a Hospital Social Worker and a School Social Worker.

Weaver holds both a Bachelor of Social Work degree and a Master of Social Work degree from the UNC-Pembroke.

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Vance County Names New Economic Development Director

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Vance County has named Ferdinand A. Rouse as its new Economic Development director.

Rouse has served as coordinator of Raleigh’s Small Business Development Programs and also has been an economic development specialist in Adams County, CO.

He will begin his work with Vance County on Monday, July 15, according to Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry.

“I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to serve the citizens of Vance County,” Rouse said in a press release received from Perry earlier today (Tuesday).

In addition to his work in Raleigh, Rouse has worked as Minority and Women Business coordinator for the city of Greenville. He has an undergraduate degree from UNC-Charlotte and a master’s degree in business administration from ECU.

He is a certified Economic Developer and is recognized by the International Economic Development Council.

“I am more than thrilled to bring Mr. Rouse on board with the rest of the Vance County team,” Perry stated. “Ferdinand’s education and experience are a perfect fit for our needs right now.”

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TownTalk: County Budget Deliberations

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In a budget work session last week, the Vance County Board of Commissioners worked to reach consensus to raise the tax rate by 10 cents – to 71 cents per $100 property valuation – a move that will provide cost-of-living increases for staff and have funds for capital projects and a possible salary study.

The consensus, though not an official vote, was reached with four commissioners in favor.

It’s estimated that the additional 10 cents will generate $4.3 million in additional revenue.

According to County Manager C. Renee Perry, the revenue-neutral rate of 61.3 cents per $100 valuation would not be enough to support any capital projects that are needed in the county, including work on a new jail, 911 call center, a northern end EMS station and more.

Perry broke it down this way: 1 cent will be for an additional 3 percent COLA increase (for a total of 7 percent), and the other 9 cents would be for addressing capital needs and the salary study.

Commissioner Sean Alston said the county must pay attention to salaries that would be more competitive with surrounding counties.

“We have to move for the future,” Alston said.

Commissioner Leo Kelly concurred. “If we don’t grow the budget, we don’t grow the county.” Kelly said it is critical to take advantage of the revaluation to keep the county moving forward. “This is the time to do it,” he said of increasing the tax rate.

Chair Dan Brummitt said he is willing to entertain ideas about the budget but said he does not support a tax increase.

“It doesn’t make sense,” he said, adding that the county should not grow the government; rather, “leave the money in people’s pockets” and let them invest in the county to grow the economy.

Commissioner Archie Taylor said he is in favor of raising salaries to help the staffing shortages across county agencies, including the Department of Social Services, sheriff’s office and the jail – which has had almost two dozen vacancies for the past two years, according to Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.

In addition to salary increases, Commissioner Yolanda Feimster said the county has to keep an eye on quality of services. “We can’t keep prolonging the situation – we’ve got to get people hired” so county residents can have the quality of services they desire and deserve.

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Vance County To Welcome New Budget And Finance Director Monday, April 1

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Vance County has selected a new Budget and Finance director. Stephanie Williams will begin her new role on Monday, Apr. 1 and she said she’s “ready to get to work.”

Williams comes to Vance County from Durham County Schools, where she served as director of Fiscal Operations, according to a press release from Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry.

“I consider it an honor and a privilege to be joining the team at Vance County government,”, Williams stated. “I look forward to working with everyone to continue the work and build upon the dynamic services provided to the community while maintaining fiscal responsibility.”

With a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from N.C. Central University, Williams has a background and 18 years’ experience in the finance and accounting fields, which includes internal audit, capital funding, budgeting, bank administration, school finance, bank reconciliation and bond projects.

Perry said, “I am more than thrilled to bring Ms. Williams on board with the rest of the Vance County team. Stephanie’s education and experience are a perfect fit for our needs right now.”

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Mills Stepping In As Interim Vance Economic Development Director

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Newly retired Granville County Economic Development Director Harry Mills is stepping in on a part-time basis to be interim economic development director in Vance County. According to Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry, Mills started Wednesday, Mar. 6 and will be on board to work with McKinley Perkinson, who announced last month that she is stepping away from the position.

“He will start in his official capacity on Mar. 20 as interim until we find a permanent replacement,” Perry said in an email to WIZS News. Perry said she reached out to Mills to see if he’d be interested.

In a phone conversation earlier Thursday, Mills said he looks forward to helping fill in until a successor is hired.

“It was a mutual agreement,” Mills said. “They needed someone…it’s a good opportunity to help and continue the momentum” for development in the county and to be available to help when economic development opportunities arise.

“Harry will bring his enthusiasm and experience to this role. He’s familiar with Vance County and has historically worked with our past Economic Development directors,” Perry said, adding that she looks forward to his expertise in economic development.

Vance County Manager Sees Growing Vacancies As “An Opportunity”

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According to the Vance County website, there are 22 departments within county government, from administration to tax administration. Of those 22, County Manager C. Renee Perry reports that four departments face vacancies in the director role after one director was fired and three more turned in resignations.

That’s a lot of vacancies, but Perry, now in her fourth month as county manager, remains positive: “It gives me the opportunity to build my team and move forward…I’m looking at it as an opportunity.”

Perry said Vance County Economic Development Director McKinley Perkinson’s last day is Mar. 19; she was named to the job in November 2021. Perkinson told WIZS that she is leaving for another opportunity, but wasn’t ready to divulge what that opportunity is.

Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin has resigned her post. Cocklin said she’d see the county through the Mar. 5 primary elections and will leave on Mar. 29.

Cocklin said her resignation has nothing to do with the job, but she cited personal reasons for deciding to step down. “The board has been very good to me, as well as the poll workers,” she said.

The county elections board is responsible for naming her successor, Perry noted.The Department of Social Services has an interim director Tilda Marshall, who stepped in when Denita DeVega resigned. Perry said DeVega is the new DSS director in Nash County. The DSS director reports to the DSS board, which is charged with finding a replacement.

All that on top of the Feb. 9 firing of County Deputy Manager/Chief Finance Officer Katherine Bigelow, and Vance County is facing some big holes in its administrative leadership.

If you count new Planning Director Sherry Moss and Animal Services Director William Coker, both of whom assumed their duties in the last month or so – and County Manager Perry, who came on board in November 2023, that’s seven of the 22 departments -close to one-third of the county’s departments.

Perry, sounding undeterred, said Vance County “is not unique in the amount of vacancies…other counties are experiencing the same.” She said she would continue to recruit and look for the best candidates for the open positions, adding that she hopes that prospective employees will see her as “a manager who wants to support them and lead Vance County in a different direction.”

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Vance Commissioners Approve Pay Raises For Finance Director, Manager

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners has approved pay raises for the county’s finance director and county manager.

Katherine Bigelow, the county’s finance director, is seeing a $25,000 jump in her salary to $136,503, according to information from County Manager Renee Perry.

As Perry explained in an email on Monday to WIZS News, another county had offered Bigelow a job – and a “significant raise to go along with it,” Perry said.

“I felt we could keep her if we were able to eliminate the financial incentive for her (to) accept the position,” and the board agreed to the salary increase.

“Katherine brings much-needed experience to Vance County and I wanted to retain her on staff,” Perry said.

In their discussions, Perry said her $15,000 increase in pay was approved because commissioners “wanted to ensure the compensation for their manager still exceeded that of the finance director for internal equity purposes.”

Bigelow’s bump in pay also brings with it a new title: She now serves as deputy county manager/chief financial officer.

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Vance County Names Sherry Moss New Planning Director

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Vance County has named Sherry Moss as its new planning director. Moss, currently the planning director for the town of Nashville, NC, will begin her new job on Feb. 12.

Moss is no stranger to the area, having held positions in county government in Vance and Granville counties, as well as the city of Henderson.

She has been Vance County’s interim planning director and special projects coordinator, and has more than 17 years of experience in local government, according to information from Vance County Manager Renee Perry.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to be back to serve the citizens of Vance County,” Moss said in a press statement.

Moss has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Shaw University and a master’s in public policy: public administration from Liberty University.

Perry said she welcomes Moss back to Vance County. “I’m looking forward to working with Sherry in this new role; Sherry is a breath of fresh air and will serve the county well,” sPerry said.

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William Coker New Vance County Animal Services Manager

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Vance County Manager Renee Perry has announced that William Coker has been selected to be the county’s Animal Services Manager.

Coker, a native of Vance County, has more than a decade of work experience in the county, having served in the Sheriff’s Office as well as with Animal Control.

He began his new role on Jan. 2, 2024 following a recruitment and interview process, Perry said in a press statement sent Thursday afternoon to WIZS. Coker succeeds Frankie Nobles, who accepted a new position as the county’s Special Projects Coordinator last year.