Commissioners voted 3 to 2 to fire Loria Williams, but the decision did not sit well with all of those in attendance at the meeting, including chairman Ulysses Ross.
"Well, I thought she was doing a right good job," Ross said. "Everybody makes mistakes."
Commissioner Barry Richardson was the who swung the vote. He supported Williams through a previous investigation, but cast the vote to send her packing.
"It was a comp time issue that came up," Richardson said. "She was paying herself comp time, even though the contract forbade it. She was giving employees comp time -- they were not able to do that. They had a big mess with EMS -- a pay issue that is still not resolved."
This year has been rough for Williams, some say.
She was suspended during an investigation into whether she personally benefited from the use of county inmates. The district attorney found no reason to file criminal charges.
For some in Warren County, they say it is time to put the past, including Williams, behind them.
"If this is part of a cleansing process to get the county straightened out and to get us back on the road, we need to go then," said Mike Wilburt, of the Warren County GOP. "This is a move that needs to be taken."
Williams' termination will cost the county because she will be paid a full year's salary of more than $60,000, plus unused vacation time.
Linda Jones, who works as a tax assessor, will take over as temporary county manager.
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