Flagler County commissioners direct HR to begin contract talks with finalist Cameron for interim administrator

At a special meeting on Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to direct Human Resources Director Pam Wu to begin contract negotiations with a finalist identified in the meeting as “Mr. Cameron” for the interim county administrator position.

The vote followed a morning of interviews and a lunchtime question session with two finalists. Commissioners praised both candidates’ qualifications but said they preferred hiring a single interim administrator rather than simultaneously bringing both finalists into county leadership or immediately creating a deputy/assistant administrator role.

The discussion centered on the relative experience of the finalists. Several commissioners said Cameron’s experience in a coastal, larger county and familiarity with more complex operations gave him an edge for Flagler County’s immediate needs. One commissioner proposed offering positions to both finalists and assigning one as administrator and the other as assistant administrator; other commissioners said that approach could create confusion, saddle a future permanent administrator with a deputy they did not select and raise human-resources complications.

Commissioners also discussed near-term county priorities that influenced their preference for a single hire, including oversight needs for the sheriff’s operations building. One commissioner suggested hiring a project manager for the sheriff’s building who would report to the administrator rather than immediately creating a second administrator-level position.

Chairman (name not specified in the transcript) called for public comment after the board debated the motion; no members of the public approached the podium. The board then voted in favor of the motion to extend an offer to Cameron; the motion passed unanimously.

Following the vote, Commissioners instructed Pam Wu to “create dialogue” with Cameron about an initial offer and to work with County Attorney Hadid (name presented in the transcript as “Mister Hadid”) on contract language. Any final employment contract will return to the board for negotiation or approval.

Commissioners repeatedly thanked county staff and department directors—identified in the meeting as Christy Mayer and Lucy Dance—for managing operations during the administrator vacancy and for organizing the candidate process. The board adjourned after briefly noting appreciation for staff work and setting the next procedural step: HR-led discussions with the selected finalist and subsequent return of any contract to the board for approval.

Details about the finalists’ full names, the specific contract terms under discussion, compensation, start date, and whether Cameron accepted the county’s initial offer were not specified in the meeting record.