Wake County manager to retire in October

Wake County Manager Jim Hartmann announced Thursday that he would be stepping down in October.

Hartmann, who has served as county manager for three and a half years, said his last day with the county will be Oct. 27.

“I’m proud of the work that the Board of Commissioners, staff and I have accomplished together during my tenure here,” Hartmann said in a statement.

Hartmann said he determined it was “the right time for me to transition my career” after attending his daughter’s wedding last weekend.

“I know some will believe my resignation is connected with recent news stories of the coverage of the fraud audit and investigation into the office of one of the county’s other elected officials. That is simply not the cast and not a factor in my decision,” Hartmann wrote in his letter of resignation.

The audit to which Hartmann referred involved more than $606,000 that went missing from the Wake County Register of Deeds Office over the past two years.

Over the next two months, Hartmann will work with commissioners as they select an interim county manager and develop a process for hiring a permanent replacement.