BoC table Chairman’s nomination for county administrator, Pownall named Chairman Pro Tem

Paulding’s Board of Commissioners last week tabled a decision regarding Commission Chairman Carmichael’s nomination of Frank Baker to be county administrator.
Carmichael, contacted by phone prior to the meeting, said that Baker was his recommendation and a good fit for the job and hoped post commissioners would approve the nomination.
Baker, familiar to Paulding’s board, currently serves as court administrator and has worked with Paulding’s felony drug court since its inception about two years ago.
Following the conclusion of the work session, asked if post commissioners might have an alternate nominee, Commissioner Pownall responded that, “...we have a couple of other things we’re working on besides that position that ties back to that position...but as of right now there’s nobody else that’s being put forward,” he said. Paulding commissioners adjourned for an executive session asked for following the conclusion of the work session by Commissioner Collett, to discuss ‘personnel’ but did not reference whether or not Baker was among topics for the session.
At the regular meeting and following another executive session, Chairman Carmichael made a motion to table the item until next month’s meeting on October 10th, which was approved by the board and there was no further discussion.

POWNALL NAMED CHAIRMAN PRO TEM
Paulding’s Board of Commissioners enacted a resolution that allows for the designation of a Chairman Pro Tem. Paulding commissioners last week approved the appointment of Post 2 Commissioner Todd Pownall to Chairman Pro Tem (CPT).
Per the resolution, adopted in 2005, and read over by County Attorney Lani Skipper during the board’s morning session last week, “Chairman Pro Tem...which position will act as the emergency interim successor....” And per guidelines contained in the resolution, the CPT shall be nominated by the Chairman and subject to confirmation by the full board. Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve with Pownall abstaining.
CPT is the post commissioner designated to sit in when needed in the Chairman’s absence. According to Ms. Skipper in the case of votes on agenda items resulting in a tie, action would be deferred to a next session, as would also be the case during a meeting minus one of the post commissioners.
Pownall is the ranking post commissioner coming on board in 2010 during the original administration of David Austin. Said Chairman Carmichael, “Commissioner Pownall has watched county government for 20-plus years, has seniority on the board, and keeps his finger on the pulse of things going on day-to- day and should an emergency come up resulting in the absence of the chairman, I think he would be the perfect person to sit in and take charge.”
And with an eventuality of a county administrator position being filled, Chairman Carmichael has implied he should be spending more time promoting the county around the state and the region. A Chairman Pro Tem designee could help to maintain the regular meeting schedule in the Chairman’s absence.
Last designated CPT was commissioner Hal Echols who died while in office during the Jerry Shearin administration. No actual CPT was named and then confirmed during the David Austin administrations.