Writer: Staff Reports
Published July 20, 2021
Now Habersham
The Habersham County Commission has filled its county clerk and interim county manager positions after a two-month search following the resignations of former County Manager Phil Sutton and former County Clerk Lindsay Underwood.
The commission unanimously voted in an executive session following their July 19 meeting to hire Brandalin Carnes as the new county clerk. The clerk position was vacated by Lindsay Underwood in May of this year, and Carnes, who previously served as deputy clerk, has been serving in her place since.
Interim County Manager Alicia Vaughn, who the commission appointed July 9, is now heading the search to find a new deputy clerk. The commissioners are still on the hunt for a permanent county manager, though.
The Habersham County Commissioners voted 4-0 at their July 19 meeting to enlist the help of the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG) in their search for a new county manager.
The search with CVIOG has a proposed timeline of three months. Vaughn is set to hold the interim position for the next four to six months, though she says she plans to apply to fill the county manager position.
CVIOG’s services will cost the county $9,470, which Chairman Dustin Mealor says is a reasonable price for an executive search service. The service will help the county assess their needs and desired qualifications, run ads and assist in the search for a qualified individual to take over the position. The county has the option to also use CVIOG’s services for the interviewing process, with an additional fee of $1,500 per interview session.
