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Commissioner asks to terminate county administrator; board pauses and seeks alternatives
Summary
During commission comments a motion to terminate County Administrator Marla Petito was announced by Commissioner Carney. The meeting produced an extended, emotional debate about leadership, staff morale and succession; the board did not take an immediate vote and asked for further discussion and options including interim or consultant support.
Commissioner Carney told the board during commission comments that she planned to move to terminate County Administrator Marla Petito, citing a lack of support for Petito's performance and concerns about transparency and responsiveness.
"I am basically stating a lack of support for Mrs. Petito, and I am actually going to make a motion to terminate her agreement and contract with our county," Commissioner Carney said. (Commissioner Carney.)
Several commissioners responded with lengthy, emotional remarks. Some expressed sympathy and a reluctance to immediately dismiss the administrator without a succession plan or alternative in place; others said they had experienced breakdowns in communication and staff reluctance to make recommendations because of board dynamics. Commissioners discussed options including mediation, hiring an interim or consultant, reassigning responsibilities and re‑evaluating the administrator's role.
No formal vote on termination was taken during the meeting. Chair Leanne Pennington and other members urged additional, private discussion, and several commissioners requested follow‑up workshops or special meetings to create a plan addressing leadership, staffing and budget priorities.
Why it matters: termination of a county administrator would be a major personnel action with implications for continuity of county operations, ongoing projects and county staff morale; the board signaled urgency but chose not to take immediate action in public session.
Next steps: commissioners indicated they will continue the discussion at future meetings and consider interim approaches (consultant/mediator, succession planning) before any action to alter the administrator's contract.
