Recruiter recommends $160,000–$210,000 range as Warren County prepares to post county administrator job
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Summary
A national recruiter updated the Warren County Board of Supervisors on the recruitment schedule and recommended a salary range; the board set a May 14 deadline to confirm the range before a May 16 posting and discussed candidate experience preferences.
Scott Krem, a national executive recruiter working for Warren County, told the Board of Supervisors the county’s recruitment profile for a new county administrator will be posted on May 16 and asked the board to confirm a salary range before that posting.
Krem said the firm conducted a regional compensation study and recommended a range of $160,000 to $215,000 but advised the board to advertise $160,000 to $210,000 “considering housing costs in Warren County.” He emphasized that the proposed figures were recommendations and that the board could set a different range. "If I could make, if you to alter the range, might I make a recommendation that we do not go lower than 160," Krem said.
The board discussed timing for confirming the range; Krem asked for a decision at least two days before the May 16 posting. Supervisor questions focused on whether the lower end of the range would attract inexperienced candidates. Krem said the search typically targets qualified candidates with prior executive or county-administrator experience and that hiring an individual with no relevant public‑sector executive experience would be “not wise,” likening it to hiring a major‑league coach without prior experience.
Several supervisors said they preferred an experienced administrator. One supervisor asked that the board limit its direct involvement in candidate recruitment and allow the national recruiter to perform background work and candidate vetting.
Krem outlined the timetable the firm intends to follow: confirm the recruitment profile and compensation posting in mid‑May, hold candidate interviews and “brass‑ring” finalist interviews in late July, and, if a selection is made then, start negotiations immediately afterward. He also said the firm will provide detailed candidate background reports, including reference checks.
Why it matters: Hiring a county administrator is a high‑level personnel decision that sets local management priorities and affects county operations, budgeting and staff leadership. The board must finalize the advertised salary range and other posting details before the firm places the job announcement.