Columbus City Council voted 4-0 on Friday to hire Jammie Garrett as the city’s new chief operations officer.

The vote was taken after a two-hour meeting that was almost entirely in executive session, drawing to a close a hiring process that has been ongoing since October.

Garrett will be paid $100,000 per year. A start date has not been determined, but she will take up her duties as soon as she can get away from her current job, City Attorney Jeff Turnage said.

Garrett currently works for the Mississippi Supreme Court. She has a law degree, but has not taken the bar.

The council also voted by the same margin to re-advertise for the chief financial officer’s job, but with the pay rate raised up to $100,000 per year. Both positions will now be co-equal and will report directly to the mayor.

The previous COO made roughly $79,000 annually and the previous CFO’s pay was less than $75,000.

Councilwoman Jacqueline DiCicco of Ward 6 and Mayor Keith Gaskin both left the meeting before the votes were taken. Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens, who is vice mayor, presided over the meeting after Gaskin’s departure and therefore could not vote.

See The Dispatch’s Sunday edition for full coverage.

Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.