County council contracts with headhunting firm

The Laurens County Council was expected to approve a contract with a Greenville-based headhunting firm to help fill the county’s top post.

If approved, Find Great People, a staffing and talent-search firm, will be tasked with finding a new administrator for Laurens County.

“If the contract is approved, we’ll meet with them and discuss a timeline and what we’re looking for in the hire,” said Council Chairman Brown Patterson.

Former County Administrator Jon Caime was put on paid leave for three weeks beginning in early March and subsequently fired from his post following a 4-3 vote of council during a called meeting on March 30.

Director of Public Works Dale Satterfield is serving as acting county administrator until Caime’s successor is found.

Find Great People, which markets itself as FGP, was founded in 1982 in Greenville and now has offices in Columbia and Nashville, Tennessee, according to the FGP website.

Patterson said FGP is contracted with the state and the county went through state channels to locate and secure the services of the headhunting firm.

According to the contract that was to be approved, the county will pay a flat fee of $1,500 to contract with FGP and then pay a fee equal to 20% of the annual salary negotiated after the new hire.

Caime’s salary was $130,000 per year, so a new hire at the same salary would pay FGP an additional $26,000. Caime signed a three-year contract extension in March of 2019 that ran through May 22, 2022.

The county is paying Caime six months of his salary and benefits in severance as stipulated in his employment contract.

FGP was chosen over two other firms – Coleman Law + Associates out of Charlotte, Randi Frank Consulting of Wallingford, Connecticut, both of which included significantly higher fees to initiate the county’s search.

In other action, council members were expected to approve second reading of a “Litter Control and Regulation” ordinance, which will “set standards and regulations for the control of litter.” It also places litter control officers under the supervision of the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office.

Also, council was expected to make appointments to several county boards, commissions and committees.

• Purchase new scanners and X-ray inspection equipment for the Hillcrest Square offices and judicial complex.

• Receive a briefing from County Emergency Services Director Joey Avery on COVID-19.