The Long County Commission has unanimously chosen the county’s interim economic development director, Chuck Scragg, to serve as part-time interim county administrator while they look for a permanent candidate. Commissioners met for a called meeting Tuesday.

Scraggs will work three days each week in his new job at the courthouse. All five commissioners voted for Scraggs, but a vote to start a search for a permanent part-time administrator passed 4-1 with Chairman Robert Parker voting no.

The county administrator job was vacant following the resignation of Frank Etheridge March 6. Etheridge had been fulltime county administrator since June 2017. Parker had told the Courier in early March that he expected the county would hire a part time employee for handling grants, special projects or other specified duties but not engage another fulltime administrator. Parker also had said he planned to do much of the day-to-day management.

In other government business, Long County is considering imposing fees as one way of controlling and paying for booming development in the county. The commissioners voted March 5 to proceed with Phase II of impact fee implementation; they will publish notices, hold public hearings and appoint a committee. Bill Ross of Ross+ Associates has provided startup information for impact fees and is now working on Phase II.

The capital improvement plan being developed as part of the impact fee project would cost about $50 million over 20 years. Ross said about $32 million of this could be covered by impact fees. A tax increase of 3.3 mills would be one alternative to impact fees.

Commissioners are considering updates to the ordinance governing alcohol beverage sales but have not yet scheduled the required public hearings.

The commissioners plan to hold a work session on March 19.

Parker can be reached by email at joeparkerjr@hotmail.com