Leonard withdraws, Loris to restart admin search

Al Leonard

    Al Leonard has taken himself out of the running to be Loris City Administrator, sending City Council members back to the drawing board, Mayor David Stoudenmire said Monday.
    Leonard, Town Manager in Tabor City for nearly three decades, has also been passed over by the City of Westminster, another South Carolina municipality seeking a new administrator, Leonard said Tuesday.
    Leonard had applied for both jobs last month, eying the possibility of collecting retirement benefit’s he’s now eligible for under North Carolina’s retirement system, while taking on full-time employment out of state.
    Refusing to say why he withdrew from consideration in Loris, Leonard said Westminster’s soon-to-retire administrator had informed him council members there had offered that post to another finalist.
    Loris officials said Leonard’s decision dashed their best hopes for filling the post vacant for nearly eight years.
    Mayor David Stoudenmire said city officials will likely start the search process anew.
    For more see todays Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and online.