County administrator quits
Darlington County Administrator Terence Arrington.
Photo by Samantha Lyles
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
Reports indicate that Darlington County administrator Terence Arrington has resigned his position effective immediately.
Darlington County Council convened a special meeting the morning of Monday, August 6 and postponed a vote to renew Arrington’s employment contract. Following a discussion in closed executive session, council adjourned the meeting without taking any public action on the contract. By afternoon, reports began to surface that Arrington had decided to resign after council failed to renew his contract.
Council chair Bobby Hudson confirmed for the News and Press that council had decided not to renew Arrington’s contract, which was set to expire in February of 2017. He said Arrington indicated a willingness to work the final six months of his term, but evidently changed his mind and decided to leave immediately. The remainder of his salary – approximately $50,000 after taxes – will be paid to him regardless.
Arrington served as administrator since February of 2015, initially hired with a two year contract paying $100,000 the first year and $105,000 the second year.
All eight County Council members were present for the contract deliberations, including Hudson, vice chair Robbin Brock, and council members David Coker, Wilhelmina Johnson, Bobby Kilgo, Le Flowers, Mozella “Pennie” Nicholson, and Dannie Douglas.
Hudson said that Darlington County Economic Development Partnership director Frank Willis will serve as interim administrator until a regular interim person is hired. Council scheduled a meeting for 5 p.m. August 9 at the Courthouse Annex to further discuss the matter.
At this meeting, council also convened a separate executive session to discuss a medical and physical fitness testing contract for all county departments.
Currently the county has no contracted vendor to provide physicals for employees and volunteers. This means the county at present has incomplete information required by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).
After that executive session, council voted to contract with Hartsville Primary Care to provide these services. Council chair Bobby Hudson and council members David Coker and Wilhelmina Johnson voted in favor, while vice chair Robbin Brock and council members Bobby Kilgo, Le Flowers, Mozella “Pennie” Nicholson all abstained, with Kilgo noting that he receives some of his medical care from the firm involved. Council member Dannie Douglas had not yet arrived when this vote occurred.
Under this contract, physicals can be conducted at the vendor’s office or at county facilities. It adds additional flexibility since volunteers make up the majority of Fire District employees, and this contract would allow them to make appointments that suit their regular work schedules.
