Laurens County contracts with search firm, appoints Ferqueron interim admin
Merlissa Ferqueron
Following an executive session Monday, the Laurens County Council voted unanimously to contract once again with Greenville-based headhunting firm Find Great People to search for a new county administrator.
Current Administrator Thomas Higgs, who resigned last month to take the same post in Colleton County, ends his tenure with Laurens County this week.
Council also appointed Deputy Administrator Melissa Ferqueron as interim administrator while the search for Higgs’ successor begins in earnest.
Council Chairman Jeff Carroll said council’s familiarity with Find Great People was among several factors considered by council member when deciding to contract with the search firm. Find Great people was chosen from among four other candidates for the job.
“Out of the five, they were middle of the road on a cost structure, and they have a guarantee,” Carroll said. “In a year, if the person that is selected doesn’t stay, they’ll find another person at no cost. So, there’s a guarantee of their success. We’ve used them before, and other people in our area have used them, so they have a good track record.”
Carroll said details of the contract with Find Good People, as well as exact costs, are still be ironed out. He also said he and other council members have some parameters for the new hire.
“We want somebody who’s willing to continue the successes we’ve had that have an actual working knowledge of local and state government working together to be able to accomplish the things we need and the experience in a county our size that has grown and dealt with growth issues that we’re dealing with,” Carroll said.
Thomas Higgs
The county is embarking on its third search for an administrator since the 2016 retirement of Ernie Segars, who spent 27 years at the post.
Higgs was making an annual base salary of $155,893 with the county.
Ferqueron, a Greenwood native, was hired as Higgs’ executive assistant in November of 2021 and promoted to deputy county administrator in 2023. She
received her undergraduate degree in business administration and a master’s in business administration from Lander.
She said Monday night that she intends to apply for the permanent administrator position.
Higgs said his goodbyes to council and staff Monday night at the end of the regular meeting with a brief prepared statement that reflected on his decade in Laurens County both at the City of Clinton as assistant and interim administrator and with the county.
“I gave my word during my initial job interview that Iwould accomplish several things while with Laurens County – I would run a lean and mean budget that was transparent and responsible for the Laurens County taxpayer; I would bring a sense of integrity and sound leadership; and, most importantly, I would build a heck of a team. I think I’ve done most of these . . . Our team means everything to me,” he said.
