By NICOLE CARTRETTE
Staff Writer

Columbus County’s interim manager has given his letter of resignation.

Effective Feb. 29, Leo Hunt, a retired finance director from Robeson County, will go back into retirement.

In a Nov. 30 letter to the Board of Commissioners Hunt writes:

“It has been a pleasure to serve the citizens of Columbus County over the past 17 months, unfortunately the time has come that I must resign the position of interim county manager and interim finance director, effective Feb. 29, 2008, due to health concerns.

“If the commissioners so desire I would be willing to assist them in any way I can but not more than two half days a week,” Hunt wrote.

“I wish you continued success in your search for a county manager and I still feel that Mrs. Bobbie Faircloth will make an excellent finance director,” he added.

Faircloth, a Columbus County resident who began working with the county attorney’s office as a paralegal, was recently named the assistant finance officer. Hunt highly recommended Faircloth, who has a business finance degree from Campbell University, for the position.

Hunt, a retired finance director from Robeson County, agreed to work for Columbus County as an interim finance director on a temporary basis in late 2006. His appointment came after county manager Jim Varner said the county financial records had not been reconciled since September 2005 — nearly a year.

Hunt was appointed interim manager in October after commissioners voted not to renew Jim Varner’s contract.

Hunt, who has degrees from both Southeastern Community College and UNC-Pembroke, has been known for being blunt with commissioners about financial matters and was instrumental in updating the county’s financial records and accounts.

Friday he had little to say about the resignation, other than he needed to cut back on his workload.

“I plan to come home and rest for a while,” Hunt said. “It’s beginning to affect my health and I can’t afford that.”