Hunt

By NICOLE CARTRETTE
Staff Writer

The Columbus County Board of Commissioners went into closed session late Monday night with one manager and came out with another.

Interim Finance Director Leo Hunt will take over as interim county manager on Oct. 4, county manager Jim Varner’s last day. After a series of closed sessions the board voted on July 2 not to renew Varner’s contract that expires today (Thursday). At that time Varner said he would stay on a month-to-month basis until a new manager was hired.

Commissioner Ricky Bullard made a motion that Hunt be named interim county manager. It was seconded by Commissioner Amon McKenzie and unanimously approved by the board.

“If I had to pick a home other than Robeson County, Columbus County would be it,” Hunt, a former Southeastern Community College (1972) and UNC-Pembroke graduate (1974) said. “There’s some fine people here –I feel as comfortable here as I would in Robeson.”

It’s not clear how long Hunt will stay in the position. The retired finance director from Robeson County intended to drop back to part time work later this year and in recent weeks his assistant finance officer Bobbie Faircloth was named deputy finance director.

On the same night Hunt was appointed, a candidate for county manager was interviewed in closed session and several other applicants have yet to be interviewed.

Hunt, 62, had worked on an interim basis in Hoke County. He was named interim finance director of Columbus County on Sept. 5, 2006.

It was just months after Columbus County experienced what some commissioners coined a “budget nightmare.” County books and finances had not been balanced since September 2005 and the county fund balance was a mystery.

Shortly thereafter Hunt became known for being blunt with the board on financial issues –namely a low fund balance and increased spending over the years without increased revenues.

Hunt is fully vested in his state retirement and so as not to interfere with income levels associated with it is paid a minimal salary by the county of $600 per month.

“My reason for coming here was to help and just assist,” Hunt said. “I will always give my opinion –if the board decides not to go with what I suggest and give me directions otherwise, I will follow their instructions.
“I will do the best that I can do.”