By NICOLE CARTRETTE
Staff Writer

A search for a new Social Services director will begin soon.

Columbus County Department of Social Services Director Marva Scott has been hired as the director for the Edgecombe County Department of Social Services. The Edgecombe County Board of Social Services voted unanimously Thursday to hire Scott to fill a vacancy left by the retiring director.

Scott, hired here in 2003 to replace retiring director Larry Moore, said Friday she was not certain when her final day would be but that she planned to work in Columbus through the month of February. “I haven’t set a date,” Scott said.

Scott, who served as a childcare services consultant for Edgecombe County Social Services while employed with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, was enthusiastic about the move.

“It gets me back close to my church,’ said Scott who lived in Goldsboro and attends Deeper Life Church there.

“I am really thankful to my staff and the citizens of Columbus County,” Scott said. “It’s been a pleasure to serve Columbus County in spite of (it all).”

She pointed out she had established relationships here that were dear to her – Evelyn and Harold Troy, Pastor Troy, James Stewart, the late Oscar Blanks and Rick Hammonds. She said she wanted to thank those who had been supportive of her.

Scott leaves the department less than two months after the county agreed to pay DSS worker Deena Ward $150,000 in her sexual harassment suit filed against DSS. Ward claimed Scott allowed a supervisor to harass her and suspended her in retaliation for Ward filing a complaint.

In September 2006, Scott was awarded a $195, 000 settlement on behalf of the county. Scott sued the board of commissioners, county, sheriff and other county officials for suspending her without just cause.

Social services directors serve at the will of the five-member Social Services Board. County commissioners approve the DSS Board’s appointment.

“Columbus County is going to suffer a great loss,” Chairman of the Social Services board and County Commissioner Amon McKenzie said.

McKenzie said the board was not “going to rush” in finding a replacement and needed to wait until they had official word from Scott of her departure date.

In the past, Mary Thompson, assistant director has served as the interim director, he added. He said the hiring process could take as little as 45 or as much as 90 days.

“It depends on who is out there,” McKenzie said.

“We’ll first look in-house. We’re always open to Columbus County residents the first time around,” McKenzie said.

The DSS board’s regular scheduled meeting is February 13.