Bulloch Co. residents will be seeing new leader in the county soon

BULLOCH, Ga. (WTOC) - A new face will soon be sitting up front in the commissioner’s board room.

In a unanimous vote, officials approved a new county manager, Christopher D. Eldridge.

Eldridge was the previous city manager of Doraville.

In the employment agreement, his base salary is set at $225,000 dollars a year.

Since January, Chairman David Bennett says the commissioners have been searching for a new county manager to take the seat.

" We didn’t want just a manager, but we wanted someone that was a leader as well," said Bennett.

However, during the meeting residents spoke out against the lack of transparency with the public during the hiring process.

A resident asking the board for a more “transparent government.”

“Once again, I encourage you. You have to involve the people in this process. People ask what do you think about him? I don’t know, never met him,” said local resident Lawton Sack.

In response, Chairman Bennett says that confidentially for applicants is necessary.

" If we can’t guarantee applicants some confidentiality in the process, we are never going to get the most qualified people to apply," said Chairman Bennett.

Bennett told WTOC that Eldridge is the most qualified applicant for the job.

The Chairman says that the controversies over the past year to do with the Bulloch County government, was also a problem in the hiring process.

WTOC asked Chairman Bennett why he thinks that is.

“People don’t trust the government and it’s not unique to Bulloch County, I think it is everywhere. But there has been enough stuff that has happened here, over the last two years with the growth, Hyundai moving in, the wells, where people feel they weren’t given the whole story,” said Bennett.