An advertisement for candidates for the position was posted on the county’s Web site Monday and a similar advertisement appears in today’s edition of The Courier-Times.

Carpenter, who has served as county manager nearly nine years since assuming the post here in June 1999, told The Courier-Times Tuesday that he has been talking with commissioners individually about his plans to step down and seeking direction regarding a search for his successor, although, he quipped, “…I really haven’t officially retired yet.”

In an e-mail to The C-T, Carpenter explained that the county’s advertising now for manager candidates “is the beginning of a process to place a new person in this slot. In discussions with my board we all agreed that this board would be responsible for hiring the new manager, and that on my recommendation that process begin so that a new candidate might be committed to coming before the budget process was completed.”

He continued, ”Our plan is to advertise through March, do screening and interviewing [of applicants] in April, and hopefully negotiate an agreement in May with somebody so that they could be involved in the end of the [20]08-09 budget process.

“I expect that somebody would be in place by the start of the new fiscal year, in July, and that if the Board wanted me to continue after that time in some support role I would be amenable to discussing that,” Carpenter said.

“So I really haven’t officially retired, yet,” Carpenter said, “but it is eminent, and I plan to be gone by the end of the calendar year. It will be about nine years in June and that’s been a long and enjoyable term. A lot has changed and will be changing in the next few months with a number of key management positions retiring. But, we have young lions ready for the challenges and ole heads in the wings to give good advice. It will all work out.”

The county also is seeking a successor for County Finance Director Andrew Davenport, who has told county official he plans to retire at the end of July this year. >>

Carpenter reiterated to The C-T via telephone Tuesday that in the interest of assuring a smooth transition for a new manager, he thought it important, and that commissioners agreed, that it would be preferable for the successful candidate for manager to be identified in time to gain a certain familiarity with the new county budget, which must be adopted by June 30, even if that person is not actually on the payroll at the time. He also emphasized that he would be available to assist and advise the manager-elect and/or to help with specific county projects, if and to the extent that county commissioners might desire until the transition is complete, even until the end of the calendar year.

Carpenter said he was hopeful the search process would be “one that is measured and complete and leaves us with some people that have an exposure and experience when the time comes to take over.”

According to the advertisement for manager applicants, the successful candidate must have at least a bachelor’s degree in public administration, business, planning or other relevant discipline, but a master’s degree in public administration is preferred, as is experience as a local government manager in North Carolina.

The county has set an April 4 deadline for applications.

Carpenter, 54, a native of Morganton, is Person County’s sixth full-time manager, succeeding former County Manager Barry Reed, who took the comparable job with Watauga County in January of 1999. He came here after an eight-year stint as manager in Anson County and six years as manager for Huntersville near Charlotte. He also spent about six years in various capacities with the City of Morganton between 1975 and 1986.

He holds a B. A. degree from Western Carolina University and a master’s degree in public administration from Appalachian State University.