It looks like those charged with finding a new Kent County Administrator & Controller have made their pick. At a meeting yesterday, the recruitment subcommittee voted unanimously to recommend to the Board of Commissioners, Interim Administrator Wayman Britt’s appointment. With this move, Britt becomes the county’s first African American Administrator.
“Very excited about the search committee’s recommendation to the Board of Commissioners of Wayman Britt.”
Sandi Frost Steensma is a former Kent County Commissioner Chair and board member. She was appointed by the board to chair the recruitment sub-committee for County Administrator/Controller vacated by the retirement of longtime administrator, Daryl Delabbio. A national search produced 68 candidates from 14 states that was whittled down to just two in the final running. They were Kent County resident and interim administrator, Wayman Britt and Marc Ryan, from Florida. Steensma says they were both qualified, running neck and neck. But on Wednesday, Ryan pulled out of the race. In a letter to the committee, Steensma says he basically cited Britt as the better fit.
“What was really exciting for Wayman and the county was the full measure of community support for him going forward. So, from a recommendation standpoint it’s exciting to put forth a candidate that enjoys so much community support and when Marc Ryan pulled out of the process, what he mentioned was that Wayman has wide community support and will be a great pic for the county.”
Steensma says Ryan’s withdrawal really didn’t impact their choice. It was a unanimous vote.
“It wasn’t like the board said, because he was the deputy, he gets to move up, but we did a nationwide search and he was picked as the best candidate and he will always know that.”
Steensma says the next step comes next week, when she takes the recommendation to the full Board of Commissioners for their vote. She says she expects the board to approve.
