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Person County manager outlines planning‑department staffing shortages and interim support
Summary
County Manager Kathy reported on vacancies in the planning department, interim contractor support, permit backlog and steps being taken to improve responsiveness while the county continues recruitment for a planning director.
County Manager Kathy updated the Board of Commissioners on Jan. 6 about staffing and operational issues in the Person County Planning Department following the resignation of the planning director on Oct. 4, 2024.
Kathy said the county has run two recruitment rounds for a planning director; in both instances the top candidates declined the position over salary and benefits, and the county has reopened recruitment with a closing date of Jan. 20. In the interim, contractor planner Ken Krulik has been assisting staff and will provide roughly 20 hours per week on site once he returns from vacation.
Kathy reviewed permit tracking metrics since Oct. 7: 69 residential permits issued (1 in review, 8 awaiting additional information), five nonresidential permits issued (1 in review, 3 awaiting information), 29 stormwater permits issued (1 in review, 6 awaiting information), and several plat and exempt‑plan reviews at various stages. She acknowledged callers and applicants have reported frustration about perceived delays and inconsistent communication from staff.
Kathy said the department currently has two primary planning staff handling day‑to‑day operations — planning technician Mickey Brandon and planner Nicole Talley — and that inspections staff provide front‑window coverage when planning staff are absent but do not perform application reviews. She described additional demands on staff, including a pending conditional‑district rezoning, a text amendment request from HEICO Solar, and an ongoing Yarbrough lawsuit that requires weekly code‑enforcement work.
Kathy said staff and management are working to prioritize responsiveness and to avoid perceived preferential treatment; she asked for commissioners' patience while recruiting and deploying interim assistance. The board discussed options for improved triage and communications on incomplete applications; commissioners urged a stronger customer‑service response for pre‑application reviews and clearer notices when applications are incomplete.
No formal action was taken; the presentation was an operational update and the board requested continued regular updates on recruitment and backlog reduction.
