How long will it take to find a suitable replacement for the public servant who has spent more than two decades as Sullivan’s Island’s town administrator?
Andy Benke, who has held his current job since June 2003, will be retiring sometime around the end of this year. A committee that includes Benke, Mayor Pat O’Neil, Mayor Pro Tem Justin Novak and Administration Committee Chair Jody Latham eventually will come up with recommendations for the entire Council to consider. How long will that process take? As long as necessary, according to O’Neil.
“We’ve got some experienced department heads in all departments at this time. We’ve got a good group of people who know what they’re doing,” the mayor commented. “If we have to go a little longer, Andy has done a good job of getting us to that point.”
O’Neil said the town is working with the Municipal Association of South Carolina “to get the word out and help us with formatting the announcement.”
“They have a lot of experience with these things,” he said, adding that the committee will begin interviewing prospective candidates “as soon as we get an adequate number of applications.”
A posting on the Sullivan’s Island website notes that applicants should have the following qualifications:
- Excellent communication and relational skills, written and oral, as regards residents,
employees, Council members, business owners and media;
- MPA preferred; four-year degree required;
- At least five years municipal government experience required, preferably in South Carolina
or in coastal Georgia or North Carolina;
- Understanding of municipal government finances and budgets;
- At least five years management experience, including project and contract management, as
well as vendor selection and contract negotiation;
- Experience with disaster and crisis management;
- Understanding of coastal community challenges from summertime traffic to hurricane
preparedness;
- Ability to navigate among resident needs, Council directions, employee concerns and, as
PIO, media interests;
- Experience in working with various local, county, state and federal agencies;
- Familiarity with storm water management;
- Zoning and land use experience.
Benke, who grew up on Sullivan’s Island and lived there for 66 years, said it’s appropriate for him to serve on the committee that will help choose his replacement.
“I’ve done this job for almost 22 years. Nobody knows it better than me. I know the ins and outs of the job.”
“Andy is going to be a very difficult act to follow,” O’Neil concluded.
