Penobscot County’s prime administrator has resigned after lower than two years on the job, citing private circumstances and a want to be nearer to household positioned throughout the nation.
Erika Honey’s final day on the job will probably be Aug. 19.
She leaves the county as it really works on plans for spending practically $30 million in federal funding it’s obtained by the American Rescue Plan Act. Attendees at a collection of group boards the county held recognized investments in housing, psychological well being and substance use therapy companies and broadband web infrastructure as prime priorities. County officers are additionally planning a 100-bed enlargement of the Penobscot County Jail.
Penobscot County authorities consists of the county jail and sheriff’s workplace in addition to companies for residents of the Unorganized Territories that fall inside county traces.
Honey was employed in 2019 to go the county’s newly shaped human assets division. Honey then changed Invoice Collins as administrator in January 2021. Collins retired after 18 years within the job.
Honey didn’t instantly reply this week to a request for touch upon her resignation.
Commissioner Andre Cushing of Newport, who represents southern Penobscot County, praised Honey for the sleek transition she offered after Collins’ departure.
“Throughout her time as administrator, she labored arduous to construct a extra responsive employees to satisfy the altering wants of our county, each its staff and residents,” Cushing stated. “Whereas we’re upset in her introduced departure, we perceive and respect her determination to satisfy her household and private necessities.”
The administrator’s job was posted on the county web site on July 19, and the county remains to be accepting purposes, in line with Fee Chair Laura Sanborn of Alton.
Sanborn praised Honey’s robust communication and organizational abilities in addition to her management through the second yr of the pandemic.
“Working by the continuously altering staffing issues in addition to staying on prime of the rules stored Penobscot County open your complete time,” Sanborn stated.
Following in Honey’s footsteps will probably be powerful, the commissioner stated.
“The excellent news is that she leaves having accomplished a lot of the ‘heavy lifting,’” Sanborn stated. “Somebody will take her place discovering a effectively organized and effectively run group.”
A number of departments have undergone adjustments in management throughout Honey’s time with the county, together with the finance and IT departments, stated Commissioner Peter Baldacci of Bangor.
“She has helped us usher in gifted folks to strengthen our administration,” he stated. “She was our first HR director and helped replace and set up insurance policies that can information us going ahead. She will probably be missed and we want her one of the best going ahead.”
