“A comment was made that he would be able to boss Jordan.”
Selection committee conversations before 23-year-old Jordan Epperson was hired as senior executive aid for then county administrator John Gibbs became public last October. Former human resources director Marcia VerBeek and former assistant county administrator Patrick Waterman said their preferred candidate was 49-year-old Ryan Kimball
“We were leaning in favor of Mr. Kimball.” (Verbeek)
“We had said Mr. Kimball would probably be the preferred candidate.” (Waterman)
County administrator John Gibbs, who has since been fired, was the only member of the selection committee who favored comparatively unqualified 23-year-old Jordan Epperson for the executive aid position.
“We asked him what it was about Mr. Epperson he liked he said he was young, and he could boss him around.” (Waterman)
“I was directed to hire him.”
Epperson was hired, Ryan Kimball filed an age discrimination lawsuit, and to settle the county agrees to pay 225 thousand dollars.
“We all said age shouldn’t matter in this decision.” (Waterman)
