Franklin County board appoints Steven Sandy as county administrator, effective Feb. 1, 2026

The Franklin County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 16 appointed Steven Sandy as county administrator, with the appointment effective Feb. 1, 2026, and authorized Vice Chair Laurie Smith to execute the contract under mutually agreed terms.

The board announced the selection after returning to open session and said the county conducted a thorough process that included internal candidates. A board member read the motion to appoint "Steven Sandy as county administrator effective 02/01/2026 and to further authorize myself, Laurie Smith, to execute the contract under the terms and conditions that have been mutually agreed upon." The motion was seconded and taken to a roll-call vote.

In the roll call on the appointment, Supervisors Smith, Quinn, Tatum, Carter, Jamieson and Mitchell all answered "yes." Chairman Thompson was absent for the vote; the presiding officer said the appointee was "formally hired." The board did not record any amendments to the contract terms during the meeting.

During the discussion preceding the vote, multiple supervisors praised the county staff and credited outgoing administrator Chris Whitlow for building a strong team. "It's a direct reflection of the teamwork and the team that Chris Whitlow has built for Franklin County," one supervisor said.

Sandy addressed the board after the vote, thanking supervisors for their confidence and saying he looked forward to beginning the role. "I really appreciate that. I've enjoyed working with all of you for a number of years ... and look forward to many, many more years working with each and every one of you," he said.

Next steps: the board authorized execution of the employment contract and did not set a further public hearing or additional timeline during this meeting.