The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Wednesday to hire Golden Triangle Regional Waste Management Assistant Director Lloyd Price as the county’s new chief financial officer.
Price will replace Dave Bassinger, who is retiring at the end of the year.
Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders said Price will begin working the week of Dec. 12. County Administrator Ralph Billingsley said Price’s salary will be $87,500.
Price, a Columbus resident, has worked with the landfill for 20 years.
“I’m very grateful that the board of supervisors and Mr. Billingsley and the people in his office think enough of me to bring me on,” Price said. “I’m looking forward to working with them.”
Sanders said Bassinger has extensive knowledge of the county due to his long tenure. He said that will be hard to immediately replace.
“Dave has been with the county for 25 or so years,” Sanders said. “He knows county government and procedures and government finance backwards and forwards.
“The new guy has been in government accounting and finance with the landfill,” Sanders added. “There’s still a learning curve he’s going to have to go through. I think Dave is going to help him with that, along with Ralph. We won’t miss a beat at all.”
Price said he’ll work with Bassinger for a few weeks before the end of the year to get acquainted with the job. During that timeframe, he’ll continue to help Golden Triangle Regional Waste Management as it begins the transition process to find his replacement.
“My main priority will be with Lowndes County,” he said. “But after 20 years and all that goes with the job for that time, the more I can help here, the easier it will be. They’ve earned that kind of respect from me.”
Bassinger could not be reached for comment.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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