By Chris English
SCHOHARIE COUNTY — Schoharie County officials have turned to a professional in their quest to find a new county administrator.
The county is looking for a successor for Korsah Akumfi, who left Jan. 3 to take the same position in Tompkins County. At its Friday, Jan. 17 meeting, the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors listened to a brief presentation from Ian Coyle, owner and president of Livonia-based Pracademic Partners that will be conducting the executive search at a cost of $19,500.
The move to a search firm comes after the BOS has been unsuccessful in finding a new administrator without the services of a search firm. The position was offered to someone late last year, and that person turned it down after about a week of consideration. The job was then reposted until Jan. 3, and the Supervisors decided to engage a search firm if no viable candidates for the position emerged by Jan. 6.
Coyle told the BOS at the Jan. 17 meeting that his firm has extensive experience finding administrators for rural upstate New York towns and counties.
"A handful of people have expressed interest in this position," he said. "We want to find someone who is a good fit for Schoharie County on a long-term basis. Public recruitment has been challenging the last few years. We want to find someone comfortable working in a rural county, and comfortable working with this Board of Supervisors."
Supervisor Donald Airey of Blenheim questioned Coyle about how difficult it will be to find a qualified new administrator.
"We've heard comments that no one wants to work for Schoharie County," Airey said. "It's difficult to find position ready individuals and increasingly difficult to fill these kind of positions in New York State."
Coyle responded that it will be a challenge to fill the position but "not exponentially more difficult."
"I'm from upstate New York," he continued. "I live here and I will die here. The key is you have to sell and market what you believe Schoharie County's natural assets are. We want to find someone not necessarily motivated by big money or living in a big city. I live and breathe county government. It's something I'm very passionate about."
According to a resolution approved by the Supervisors at the Jan. 17 meeting, the county administrator is due to make a salary of $139,772 in 2025. The resolution fixes salaries this year for county officers who are elected or appointed to a fixed term. The salaries reflect the 2.5 percent pay increase for such officers approved late last year.
The resolution affects 27 county officials, and nine of them will be earning salaries of $100,000 or more this year after approval of the document. In addition to the county administrator, they are county treasurer ($104,445), county clerk ($104,445), district attorney ($221,100), DPW commissioner ($104,445), county sheriff ($104,445), probation director ($100,332), social services commissioner ($117,354) and administrator of indigent defense ($124,397).
The chairman of the Board of Supervisors will be paid $26,295 for the job in 2025, and BOS members will be paid $15,123 each.
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