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County manager resigns

Posted by
Rachel McDaniel
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Thursday, April 19. 2012
Comments (33)
County manager Bill Sawyer will resign as of June 1, and he tendered his regsignation in a letter to the county commission chairman Doug Mangham.

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#1 Jenifer Smith on 04/19/12 at 08:10 AM
Well, what a sad turn of events. He is leaving things better than he found them for sure. I hope something can be worked out in the midst of the renovation. Thank you and best wishes to you, Mr. Sawyer wherever life takes you.
#2 Cats on 04/19/12 at 08:18 AM
Since he has been County Manager for 2 years, and his contract stipulated he must reside in Pike within 2 years of his hire date, does this mean he's resigning because he does not reside in the county? Just curious, not looking for controversy.
And if this is the first clean audit in years, sounds like he did his job.
#3 Sheila Tolley on 04/19/12 at 08:20 AM
The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided.
-Somebody Somewhere-
#4 Sheila Tolley on 04/19/12 at 08:47 AM
I personally think this is a little shady on Sawyer's behalf, UNLESS.....there are no homes available to purchase in Pike. How many realtors did he contact? If he turned the books from crimson red to glossy black, that does not exclude the two year obligation to move to Pike on his part.

I know a man with a van that will move you in one day. You have a plan..he has a van...they call him The Moving Man!
#5 Sheila Tolley on 04/19/12 at 08:52 AM
WHOA!
This article from May of 2010:
"The Pike County board of commissioners approved Bill Sawyer for the vacant county manager position. Sawyer's contract will include an $83,400 salary, two weeks vacation, use of county vehicles for county business, a county-provided cell phone and standard benefits package.

The contract includes a stipulation that Sawyer relocate as quickly as possible to Pike County during the first year of employment."

IT SEEMS HE MAY BE A YEAR LATE IN HIS EXIT!
#6 George Mickle on 04/19/12 at 11:46 AM
Sheila, you always do your research, your good. $83,400 WOW ! You think Sawyer might of got the job in DeBury,Florida? Marro missed out in his old stomping grounds but I love the taped interview. Have copies, will supply.
#7 Sheila Tolley on 04/19/12 at 03:11 PM
Thank you George. I wonder why he slid by for an extra year? Will you check into that for me?
#8 George Mickle on 04/19/12 at 05:27 PM
Sure Sheila, I'm on it. Former County Manager Steve Marro hired Dawn Dickerson fired from Clayton County as a Department Head "because no one in Pike County was qualified to be Building and Zoning Director." Marro was not qualified to live in Pike County. We need to hire a County Manager who lives in Pike County, no more imports. Long ago Ann Sawyer ran the BOC Office, she was honest, upfront and went right by the book for the citizens of Pike, it is her home and she did not do it for $84,000. Pike County has the local educated talent to be a CM. If you don't live here your heart is not here.

HIRE ONLY LOCAL TALENT IN ALL PIKE JOBS!
IF YOU DO NOT LIVE HERE DON'T APPLY HERE !
#9 Sheila Tolley on 04/20/12 at 08:34 AM
Hi George...did you find my answer to The County Manager's contract. Seems like he may owe Pike about $83,000 back for that breach of contract?
#10 George Mickle on 04/20/12 at 09:51 AM
Pollcoon, is it a simple typo or the language of a poster? Is it, don't say "by" yet or Bye yet or Buy yet? You crack us up.
#11 George Mickle on 04/24/12 at 04:01 PM
Miss Sheila, I ask for a copy, never got it but that is OK. It appears from the news Bill never signed a contract. All the pollcoons want to point blame unjustly and include The Group. That is natural during pollcoon mating season.
#12 Sheila Tolley on 04/25/12 at 07:37 AM
Yeah, rut season makes things complicated?

What about this contract?

"The Pike County board of commissioners approved Bill Sawyer for the vacant county manager position. Sawyer's contract will include an $83,400 salary, two weeks vacation, use of county vehicles for county business, a county-provided cell phone and standard benefits package.

The contract includes a stipulation that Sawyer relocate as quickly as possible to Pike County during the first year of employment."
#13 Sheila Tolley on 04/25/12 at 08:05 AM
Giving a person two years to relocate as a county manager is like buying eleven eggs....IT JUST DID NOT HAPPEN?

C'mon....tell us commissioners?? Did he sign the contract? If not, WHY? If so...why was he allowed to stay two years without compliance to his contract.

Tell me the truth or I will continue asking.
#14 Sheila Tolley on 04/25/12 at 09:30 AM
I have a brother who majored in Political Science at Georgia State. I guarantee you he is THE SMARTEST political analyst in Georgia. I do not vote without his opinion. My "Pike Voting Group" even forward their questions through me, to my brother, for answers. His advise works for my Spalding, Upson and Lamar County group also. I should charge for this service. We thank you, Jim.
#15 Jenifer Smith on 04/25/12 at 10:00 AM
The current edition of the PCJR clarifies that Mr. Sawyer has served as an at-will employee, he was not bound by contract. He was able to step in and motivate departments to work together for the benefit of taxpayers resulting in the first clean audit, reduction of the millage rate, more money to operate with, lowered debt and increased accountability for spending. He cited personal reasons for his decision. He did the best he could for as long as he could and has shown no indication of being less than a stand-up kind of person.
#16 Sheila Tolley on 04/25/12 at 11:50 AM
Anybody else out there willing for $83,400 salary, two weeks vacation, use of county vehicles for county business, a county-provided cell phone and standard benefits package?

OK Everybody that is willing...get in the "I ain't signing a contract" line that forms to the right." We will not announce that fact until you decide to leave. By that time the people of Pike will forget that you were supposed to sign a contract.

Who really cares anyway?
#17 Sheila Tolley on 04/25/12 at 12:14 PM
Just as the May 2010 edition of the PCJR reported that he would be signing a contract that required Pike residency in ONE year. The paper can only report the facts as they happen? When did the commissioners know that he was an at-will, rather than on-contract kind of guy?

I notice that Mr. Sawyer is also the project manager for the courthouse project? Can we have an up-to-date report as to the progress vs. budget, please?

Can someone get back to us on that report? Not two years from now, when a new county manager takes the blame or credit.........we need a report detailing Mr. Sawyer's apparent success to date. We may need to pay him as a consultant until that project is complete.

"You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger"

etc.
#18 George Mickle on 04/25/12 at 01:15 PM
Jenifer, will Bill now appoint a new Project Director Executive Manager to fill his position on the Court House Renovations? Will it cost Pike Citizens more? Will the new metal roof go to a local contractor or like Marroson said, "there is no local roofer smart enough to do this." Follow the money stupid.

IF IT IS NOT LOCAL TAXPAYING CONTRACTORS THEN WE MUST FIND A NEW PLAN. WE MUST STOP HIRING OUTSIDE PIKE COUNTY TO GET SCREWED.
#19 Sheila Tolley on 04/25/12 at 02:41 PM
How many dirty audits did we have? Why?
#20 Danny B on 04/26/12 at 07:55 AM
Well said, Jennifer. Pike County was lucky to get a "good leader" with all the venom injected from the poisonous few. I hope a new, equally as good or better, leader will step up.
#21 George Mickle on 04/26/12 at 10:31 AM
Danny and Jenifer, what are your qualifications in picking a "good leader?"
I still have some leftover snake bite kits and a bathroom plunger to assist in removing injected poisonous venom. They are free and can be picked up at the front desk of the BOC office between 8:00am and 5:00pm.
Need directions?
#22 Danny B on 04/26/12 at 11:16 AM
Go ahead and step up, George. Then you can show us all what a great decision maker you can be. With the community building/collaborative style of intellect you exhibit, I'm sure you will have many followers.

I'm pretty immune to the venom, just as our most recent county leader was, so you can hold those kits for the next victim - neither he nor I will be in need.
#23 Sheila Tolley on 04/26/12 at 05:44 PM
I would just like to know a baseline. I do not care either way. Someone, somewhere, as usual...has modified a contract behind closed doors and decided that taxpayers did not need to know, right? Please correct me if I am wrong.

About the baseline...what have we accomplished, at this point in time, on the courthouse and how does the cost compare to budget?

I have been ashamed of a few report cards in my life, but I took the blame....so, batter up!!!

I love honest politicians, as best I remember...it has been a while...and detest all the others....can I have some numbers here?

One commissioner already told me that "the County Manager" must approve the answer......he's gone Honey...talk to me....
#24 Sheila Tolley on 04/26/12 at 05:57 PM
Really... how many chiefs are really needed if a county trusts their Indians? Or vice versa..How many Vice-Presidents were really utilized in our country? In my 61 years, a total of ONE....LBJ. He did manage to get a whole bunch of Americans killed in Vietnam before he decided he did not like the job.

How many does it take to change a light bulb in Pike County?

Or America...........

We have fired more Secret Service people than we should even have....because they did not pay the hooker?

SICKENING.

C'mom.
#25 Sheila Tolley on 04/26/12 at 06:02 PM
So.....after all the snake venom and insults.....can anyone tell us the budget update of the courthouse project.....and the status of the contract. Right is right and wrong is wrong.

Just a taxpayer......
Sheila
#26 Lynn Smith on 04/27/12 at 11:57 AM
Wrong - Gerald Ford became president without a vote. Course, he became Vice President without a vote, too.
#27 George Mickle on 04/27/12 at 01:31 PM
Yes-and he was born in AMERICA.
#28 Sheila Tolley on 04/27/12 at 05:34 PM
AND then lost to Jimmy Carter. Bless his heart.
#29 Jenifer Smith on 05/02/12 at 10:10 AM
Mr. Sawyer presented the BOC with the proposed 2012-13 budget - that's around $200,000 less than last year's. Sounds right to me!
#30 George Mickle on 05/02/12 at 11:44 AM
Jenifer, that is not sour grapes on the roof, it is just a limb that has fallen and made a noise. Like a parrot dress and a bottle of chilled Austi Spamante.
God it is great life or what.
#31 Sheila Tolley on 05/02/12 at 06:43 PM
What sounds right? I am confused about your comment, Jenifer. Straighten me out, please.
#32 George Mickle on 05/03/12 at 08:50 AM
I'm still confused. Jenifer never answered my question about her supreme abilities to choose a "good leader." Now she is a budget expert?
Don't "Sounds right to me"!
#33 Sheila Tolley on 05/05/12 at 05:34 PM
Hi Lynn. A relative just informed me that Margaret Brown is your aunt. I LOVE that lady. From the moment of my birth, literally....she drove my Mother to Dr. Head's clinic in Zebulon for my emergency caesarean delivery.

Your Aunt Margaret and my Aunt Ozarlean are the best Christian influence I have had in my life. She and my Aunt Ozarlean were BFF of their generation.

Please tell Margaret that I love her when you speak to her again.
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