County to begin advertising for accounting manager position

Grady County has been without an accounting manager for over a month, but on Tuesday night the county commission instructed County Administrator Carlos Tobar to begin advertising for the position.
Connie Blackman resigned the post on Jan. 12 and the effective date of her resignation was Jan. 23, but she never returned to work after submitting her letter of resignation on Jan. 12.
Blackman’s resignation followed a meeting with Tobar on Thursday, Jan. 8 in which the county administrator presented her with a memo highlighting concerns with her performance.
“You are currently in your probationary period and your job performance and overall attitude, especially in the last few months, is not meeting expectations,” Tobar wrote.
Once a new accounting manager is hired this will be the third to serve under Tobar since he was hired in June 2013.
Former finance director Mary Mayer was fired on the recommendation of Tobar in Dec. 2013.
Ms. Blackman was hired in Feb. 2014.
For over a year the county has operated without bank statements being reconciled and as late as this week Tobar is saying it will be another month before all of the county’s financial records are up to date.
Grady County Commission Chairman LaFaye Copeland asked county auditor Tom Carmichael Tuesday night if now is the time to begin advertising for a new accounting manager.
Donna Johnson, a clerk in the commissioner’s office has been performing the work of the accounting manager.
The county’s auditor said the process should begin immediately.
According to Tobar, Mrs. Johnson has been focused on “clean up, catch up and bringing all accounts current.”
“For the first time in 16 months you have a budget to actuals report. It has taken working nights and weekends to get caught up and our goal would be to have everything caught up by the second meeting in March,” Tobar said.
Grady County Commissioner T.D. David said Tobar had been promising for months that everything would be caught up “in another month.”
David said he hoped that in a month all records would finally, truly be up to date.