Two years after he was hired to become Jefferson County’s first county administrator, Charles Saddler was fired by commissioners Wednesday.
The Board of Commissioners decided during a closed annual job evaluation session to terminate Saddler in a move partly aimed at trimming administrative costs in the face of looming budget shortfalls.
Saddler had also drawn criticism from elected officials, who met with commissioners in a two-hour closed session Tuesday to discuss Saddler’s evaluation.
Complaints ranged from contentions that the “high price tag” position made the county administration too top heavy to opposition to the manner in which Saddler had tried to push through budget cuts and other measures in recent years.
Saddler, who will leave at the end of March, will receive six months of severance pay from the county based on his $82,000 annual salary.
David Goldsmith, deputy county administrator, will serve as interim county administrator until the commissioners make a new hire.
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