Oktibbeha County comptroller Delois Farmer will become the new county administrator on July 1.
The board of supervisors hired Farmer from among four finalists Monday in a 4-1 vote during an executive session of its regular meeting. Farmer’s salary has not yet been determined, District 5 Supervisor and board president Joe Williams told The Dispatch.
Supervisors interviewed four candidates for the job April 26 to replace current administrator, Emily Garrard, who is retiring June 30 after seven years in the position.
A Starkville native, Farmer has worked for Oktibbeha County since 1998 in various positions including working as bookkeeper and the deputy elections clerk. She moved into the comptroller role in 2014 after Garrard, who held the post previously, became county administrator.
Farmer holds a bachelor’s in business administration from Rust College. She told The Dispatch her experience working for the county prepared her for the promotion.
“I felt that with me currently working in that department and working under Emily (Garrard) and beside her with a lot of the problems going on, with my various jobs in the county and just the knowledge of what I do, I can continue what Emily has started. … I know I can do the job,” Farmer said. “I plan to bring all of that experience to the job and give it my all.
“One of the things I want to do… is work on some of the relationships with the department heads and employees to make sure everyone is appreciated in the county,” she added. “Regardless of where you work or what level of work you are, just to bring that positive energy and let everyone know they are appreciated.”
The three other candidates were former Kemper County Administrator Yolanda Cook, an ex-medical center CEO Sam Ellard and Mississippi State University Police Department Assistant Director Mandy Netadj.
Both Cook and Natadj hold doctorate degrees in public policy and administration, while Ellard holds a master of business administration.
Even so, Williams said he feels Farmer’s 23 years working for Oktibbeha County will allow her to excel in the administrator role.
“We feel that we got the best possible candidate,” Williams said. “She has more experience than any other applicant.”
District 2 Supervisor Orlando Trainer echoed Williams’ position and said Farmer’s experience proves that she has been preparing for the job for a long time.
“She has worked in various departments and generated a lot of respect and understands expectations of the county and board,” Trainer said. “Whatever she does not know, I think she is capable of being groomed into what the county would like to have in a county administrator. We’re excited about putting her in a position where she can really excel.”
As county administrator, Farmer will work directly with the board managing, directing and coordinating the operation of all departments over which the board exercises control. Trainer said he believes she will cooperate well with the board.
“I think she does real well on being able to absorb and understand what the supervisors’ expectations are, and I think she will do real well to carry out the duties and responsibilities and execute all orders that the board decides to implement,” Trainer said.
Marvell Howard, of District 3, said he supported Farmer for her “work ethic, on top of (her) being a great individual.”
District 4 Supervisor Bricklee Miller confirmed to The Dispatch she was the opposing vote to Farmer’s hire. She said she felt there were more qualified candidates among the finalists.
John Montgomery, who represents District 1, did not return calls from The Dispatch by press time.
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