The Northampton County Board of Supervisors announced at Monday’s work session that there would be a shake up and restructuring of County Administration. This will take place in several phases over the next few weeks, however it was announced that the BoS had unanimously accepted the resignation of County Administrator Katie Nunez. According to Chairman Spencer Murray, Nunez’s decision to tender her resignation was mutual. The resignation is effective immediately.
Katie Nunez has served as the County Administrator for 11 years.
The Board also announced that the position of Economic Development Director was being cut. According to Murray, current director Kris Tucker has been released from that position. Murray noted that economic development is truly the responsibility of the BoS–as such, Mr. Tucker is free to pursue other opportunities.
Finance Director John Andrzejewski will serve as interim Administrator.
Nunez has resigned? Voluntarily? Best news I’ve heard in a long time.
I think someone has polluted the aquifer with a solution of stupidity and eliteness, and too many people have been drinking from it.
I had the opportunity to meet with Kris Tucker last week regarding a property I own in Northampton County. I felt he did a great job helping a potential buyer/ business owner see the advantages the County has to offer. While the B.O.S. feels they should do the job, I would ask how many of them would be willing to sit in on such meetings on a repetitive basis? How often will they take the calls from such people? How will they coordinate a unified message? How will they do the job better?
The County recruited Kris and convinced him to come here and now have let him go in less than a year!
That certainly is a great way to demonstrate the County’s stand on business development!
Note: We agree. The Mirror pinged Mr. Tucker on several occasions and he was always very quick to respond, forthcoming with very detailed responses, and seemed to want to go the extra mile to clarify said points.
Yes, Mr. Tucker seems like a “nice guy”….but we are a county of 12,000 + citizens, and spending $2,000/week on an economic development director, a position that was not funded by taxpayers until 4 years ago (a model that crashed and burned our taxpayer resources when Charles McSwain and County Administrator Nunez orchestrated the disastrous complete rezoning of Northampton County lands shortly thereafter) is simply not reflective of responsible governance. To attract business investment and growth in this fine county, the first step is to reestablish faith that our county government, especially the administration and regulators, are responsive and receptive to new sustainable and embraceable development. The overwhelming mantra from folks to trying yo join our business and residential community under the old administration (Nunez) was that “you can’t get anything approved in NC”. We don’t need to bleed $2,000/week for an economic development director and $3,000/week (salary and bennies) to change that impression. Again, in the past it seems like the sign over the Administrator’s and Planning Department’s door has been “what can we do TO you” rather than “what can we do FOR you”. Congratulations to the BOS in its entirety for stepping up to the plate, drawing a line in the sand, and closing the cover on this 11 year chapter of mismanagement and arbitrary decision making that have not been in the best interest of businesses and residents alike. Now, rather than throwing snowballs on to the playing field, we should be standing shoulder-t0-shoulder with our county leaders and beginning a new day in this spectacular county. The work is just beginning as we, and they, fill the administrative pot holes that have torn at our municipal undercarriage for far too long.
What can we do TO you? Excellent. Another short sighted comment from someone who’s excellent at casting stones, but doesn’t have the guts ( or ability) himself to get in there and do the job. The NEW leadership in this county doesn’t want growth – they want to keep the status quo for those elitists who have moved here ( and some who were born here) and have put up the welcome (more like unwelcome)sign at the bridge, basically saying don’t mess with our little Utopian world that we have created here. We like living in the 19th century and prefer to keep it that way. So be gone with you and your crazy ideas of growth and advancement. Oh, and don’t even think about trying to enforce the laws as they are on the books, as well as equally to all – that is just crazy talk. No, I think we are better off just keeping our heads in our…. Let’s leave it at that.
Great news! Ms Nunez and the Rezoning fiasco that she drove led to her ultimate demise. Unfortunately Chris Tucker got swept away in the process. Will be interesting to see how the BOS will handle this activity in the future. I know Grandville Hogg has been a proponent of smart growth and hope he will run for another term.
You must have had your head buried in the sand the last couple of years.
Sad, Katie seems to have done a pretty good job.
From what I heard Nunez was difficult to deal with and supported unfettered development. She acted like she was an elected official. Good riddance.
Not sure what most people consider “unfettered”? I guess growth of any kind to some would be a terrible thing and damage the status quo.
Sad that the county has to lose such valuable assets as Mrs. Nunez due to political foolishness and lack of understanding how local government is supposed to work.
Simply look at the track record of this county under the Nunez leadership. It is not necessary to list it or dwell on past failures. It is simply necessary to repair the collateral damage that serves as the legacy to what can only be called a colossal disaster. Congrats to the Board of Supervisor’s for their unanimous decision to put the brakes on this mismanagement fiasco while there is still time to haul our municipal frame into the shop.
No, no, no, no. The word you’re looking for is spelled s-u-c-c-e-s-s-e-s. Get it right. It is important that when all one is good at is criticizing, that he at least have his facts straight.