County Commission Chairman Robin Sullivan said Monday that it is the commission’s plan to decide on the county’s next administrator at their upcoming meeting.

The commission began the process of finding a replacement for long-time administrator Harry Sanders after he retired in March.

“It has been a long process, but we wanted to make sure we got all the applicants reviewed and gave everyone a fair opportunity and I believe we did that,” Sullivan said.

The commission had whittled the application list down to five candidates that were interviewed at the commission office on May 30.

The five candidates for the job were Eric R. Pruitt, MBA Deputy Director of the Jefferson County Department of Revenue; Dr. LaKerri Mack, director of the Pike County Boys and Girls Club board; Jason Bryan, Opp city planner; McKenzie Wilson, assistant to the Pike County administrator; and Dawn McLendon, accountant at a local firm.

Commissioner Charlie Harris, District 5, said the commission will need to discuss something on one of the candidates’ background checks during the executive session.

Sullivan said the commission will most likely go into executive session at the end of their Monday, June 25, meeting to discuss the final candidates one last time and will return to the public meeting to make a final decision by vote.

Sanders had served in the position for 16 years before his retirement and commissioners have said he will be a hard employee to replace. Wilson has been serving as interim administrator since Sanders officially stepped away from the seat.

Wilson said the starting salary for the position is $79,000 a year, but that the final rate will be determined by the commission and the new hire.

The county administrator executes the decisions of the commission and is responsible for they day-to-day management of county departments and personnel, as well as crafting the budget ordered by the commission.