Jefferson County will be without a finance director after Friday.
Jeff Hager resigned earlier this month, complaining that he was not consulted about whether the county should file for bankruptcy, according to the Birmingham News.
“Decisions have been made and continue to be made regarding the financial future of Jefferson County that I was not involved in,” Hager told the paper.
Hager was an asset, said County Commissioner Jimmie Stephens, who heads up the board’s finance committee.
“I don’t know that he should have been included in the bankruptcy filing,” Stephens reportedly said. “That was a policy decision made by commissioners in an open meeting.”
Hager was hired from the private sector in June 2010 as the county’s first chief financial officer. His position was downgraded to finance director about six months ago, and his $181,646 salary was trimmed by $30,000 as part of budget cuts. The commission has not announced if Hager will be replaced.
Commissioners this week voted to name Walter Jackson as the assistant county manager. He will be paid $150,000 annually.
Jackson was recommended by the county’s first professional manager, Tony Petelos, who was hired in October at a salary of $224,000. Petelos is a former local mayor and state representative.
Jefferson County filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 9 in a dispute over a settlement with creditors holding $3.14 billion of defaulted sewer warrants.
