MOHAVE COUNTY – Dozens of people have applied for the Mohave County Manager position that Mike Hendrix will vacate for retirement on June 30. Human Resources Director Ken Cunningham said a national recruiting campaign netted 44 job applications by Wednesday.
“They’re from all over the nation. They’re not just local,” Cunningham said of the applicant field.
Cunningham said a four-member hiring selection committee includes Presiding Superior Court Judge Chuck Gurtler, Sheriff Doug Schuster, County Attorney Matt Smith and retired Kingman Unified School District Superintendent Roger Jacks. He said the committee will screen the field and conduct interviews with semi-finalists by mid-May.
Cunningham said every detail in the remaining process has not been determined but that something could be ready for action at the June 1 Board of Supervisors meeting.
The Board of Supervisors voted Monday to approve the hiring of Tara Acton as Procurement Director. Acton worked in the department as senior procurement officer before leaving Kingman to work for the City of Tucson in October 2016.
Acton will return to Mohave County to succeed Becky O’Brien, who retired April 10. Michele Fink is serving as interim Procurement Director until Acton starts June 1.
Supervisors voted in early April, rejecting a recommendation to hire Kingman Vice Mayor Travis Lingenfelter at $102,000. Acton’s starting annual salary will be $98,000.
Supervisors, during Monday’s Board meeting, accepted a staff report regarding areas where citizens don’t receive service or coverage, though they pay Mohave County Television District tax. The board was advised it would likely cost between $80,000 to $200,000 for infrastructure and other expenses to extend coverage area by area.
County Manager Mike Hendrix said the district is currently not generating sufficient revenue to fund service area expansion. He said, however, budget preparation presents a good opportunity for supervisors to evaluate if they want to extend coverage, and if so, where.
Supervisor Gary Watson noted it will be impossible to fund system expansion to extend TV District coverage county-wide.
- Dave Hawkins
