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In a work session last week, Troup County Manager Eric Mosley suggested to the Troup County Commission that the county should hire an assistant county manager. On Tuesday, the commission voted unanimously to approve his recommendation.

The assistant county manager would focus on projects and would not oversee departments. The position has remained unfilled since Mosley took over as county manager in November 2018. 

“I think our board would agree that the position is warranted due to the amount of work ongoing within Troup County,” Mosley said in an interview Wednesday. “We’ve got a couple of large, complex projects that need addressing.” 

Mosley specifically noted a new agricultural education center being constructed off of Pegasus Parkway. 

The center, which the board expects to open in August, will house the University of Georgia’s Troup County Extension and 4-H agents.

“Having someone with boots on the ground daily would keep our commissioners well in the loop and hopefully mitigate any potential issues that could come as a result of just not having enough time in the project,” Mosley said.

Mosley described a couple of other large projects on the horizon — the Oakfuskee Conservation Center at West Point Lake and the expansion of a soccer complex off of Whitesville Road. The Oakfuskee Conservation Center will be a large building with two floors. The first floor will be a meeting area, and the lower floor will contain classroom space for Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

The assistant county manager will also help with other projects such as policy and procedure updates.

“We certainly are looking both internally and externally for candidates,” said Mosley, who will oversee the hiring process. 

He said the ideal candidate for the role has leadership experience, has experience managing large tasks, and is used to working with people. They should understand budget and management principles, possess knowledge of construction management, have good problem-solving skills, and be capable of excellent oral and written communication.

Pay will depend on experience and qualifications. Mosley said the job ad may be posted as soon as Thursday. Potential applicants will be able to find the ad on Troup County’s website, the Georgia Municipal Association page, the Association of County Governments page, and on the websites of some Georgia technical colleges and universities.

“I will say I’m excited about having someone to work alongside me,” Mosley said. “I think the county as a whole is going to gain a lot more efficiency by having this individual within the bounds of county government.”