Henry Daily Herald

Fred Auletta

Henry County commissioners are expected to name a new District II commissioner today, but their plan to hire a former commissioner, Fred Auletta, as the new county manager, has hit a snag.

He is expected to be named Deputy County Manager, instead.

Auletta is expected to handle many of the duties normally earmarked for a county manager, but his job title is set to change temporarily.

The permanency of his appointment has been delayed because of what officials see as ambiguity in the eligibility requirements for the county manager post. “The ordinance is silent as to what happens when a commissioner resigns in the midst of his, or her term,” according to Henry County Attorney LaTonya Wiley.

The ordinance in question includes a description of qualifications for a county manager. The provision that impacts Auletta is a portion declaring that sitting commissioners are ineligible until one year after their term has expired. Auletta’s service was scheduled to end Dec. 31, 2012.

“I spoke with [Georgia’s] Attorney General Sam Olens this evening,” Commission Chairman Elizabeth “B.J.” Mathis said Thursday night. “He agreed that the simplest, and easiest way, to clear up any questions about the intent of that sentence was to appoint Mr. Auletta as Deputy County Manager, advertise the change to the ordinance, and simply change his title to County Manager once the amended language is adopted.

“It is not unusual to amend language in an ordinance. We do this on a regular basis,” she said. “There are literally thousands of pages of codes and ordinances, many dating back 20 years. More often than not, we don't realize there is a problem with a code or ordinance, until a situation brings it to our attention.”

“In years past, the board has made an amendment to this same ordinance, when they wanted to find the best person for the job,” said County Attorney Wiley. “Years ago, at the time of his appointment as county manager, Aubrey Harvey did not live in Henry County. The board amended it, in order to allow him to serve in that capacity,” said the county attorney.

“This was an oversight on my part, and the amendment will correct it,” she added. “He [Auletta] has not taken any official acts. He’s not signed anything,” Wiley stressed.

“We’re going to correct it, and move on,” said District I Commissioner Warren Holder, the commission’s longest-serving member.

The impending appointment, today, comes after Auletta resigned his commission seat, Wednesday, to replace James C. “Butch” Sanders, who resigned as county manager on Monday. Sanders’ unexpected departure, coupled with his quick replacement by Auletta, fueled speculation.

Sanders, and county leaders, were asked if the county manager’s decision to leave was his, or whether he was asked to step down. “That’s an issue between the commissioners and I,” said Sanders. “I feel bad that it didn’t last any longer, but we came to a mutual belief and understanding. Some opportunities have come about that I’m going to look into, and make the best choice for the rest of my professional career. It’s good to have some options,” he said.

“The board acted swiftly appointing his replacement, because we are facing a double-digit decline in our tax digest, which, if it comes to that, is going to affect county operations,” said Mathis.

“We had no time to waste. We needed an effective manager, with vast experience in finance and knowledge of the county government in place as soon as possible, in order to keep this county on course. So, when Fred put the offer on the table that he would like to be considered, the board unanimously agreed that this was the best move for the county.”

Efforts to reach commissioners Reid Bowman and Randy Stamey were unsuccessful. District V Commissioner Bruce Holmes said, “I heard a few rumblings late last week, and then [Sanders] came in on Monday and announced he was going to move forward with his resignation.”

Auletta said he learned of Sanders’ resignation along with other commissioners.

“It was news to me,” said District I Commissioner Holder. “The board received a letter of resignation, and that’s all I’m going to say about it.”

Sanders said he plans to pursue other opportunities for the next phase of his career. He likened his departure from county government to the ending of a different kind of institution.

“The way I look at this profession, when you sign onto a community, it’s really like a marriage,” Sanders said. “With this profession, it’s really a five-year duration,” said Sanders. “I’ve had two successful marriages, and one that didn’t reach that five-year level. Most managers and administrators have many more jobs than I have had. I’ve been very lucky to be successful in two out of three of those commitments.”

Sanders has worked as a city administrator in two communities. He was an administrator in McDonough, from 1983 to 1989, and in Dalton, Ga., from 1989 to 2009.