Orleans accepting applications until Dec. 16 for chief administrative officer
ALBION – The county is accepting applications until Dec. 16 for the next chief administrative officer of the county government, a $71 million operation with 415 employees in 24 departments.
Chuck Nesbitt has served as CAO for the county for 14 ½ years, leading the county through several major building projects, including the recent $11 million addition to the County Administration Building.
“We’re not going to hire just anybody,” said Lynne Johnson, chairwoman of the County Legislature. “It has to be the right person.”
The county is being assisted in the search for Nesbitt’s successor by Ian Coyle, the Livingston County administrator.
Johnson said several candidates have already applied for the position, which is advertised for a salary of $100,000 to $125,000. Click here to see the job posting.
Coyle and Jack Welch, the county’s personnel director, will work to narrow the applicants to three to five who will then be interviewed by county legislators.
Nesbitt is taking a job with Wendel, an architectural and engineering firm. He will help Wendel expand its customer base in the Rochester and Syracuse area. Nesbitt will be a resource for local and state governments tackling building projects and infrastructure upgrades.
Nesbitt is well regarded in the county government circles. He just finished his tenure as president of the New York State Association of Counties. He served as president of the NYS Association of County Administrators and Managers from 2008 to 2018.
He has worked to reimagine the county government in Orleans County. That includes a merged health department with Genesee County, the only two-county public health department in the state.
The key responsibilities for chief administrative officer include preparation of the county budget, developing long-range capital improvement budgets, purchasing oversight, labor relations management, property control
and risk management, intergovernmental relations and legislative advocacy, public information officer duties, and general oversight of departments and the coordination and administration of county government functions and activities.
Nesbitt’s last day on the job is Dec. 31. Johnson said department heads will likely assume some of the CAO duties in the transition to a new CAO. Johnson also will have to fill some of the duties.
She is hopeful a new CAO will be in place in February.
