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The Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors met Thursday, Sept. 24, to interview candidates for the county administrator position and is expected to make its final decision during a special meeting Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The plan Sept. 24 had been for the board to interview four candidates from the second applicant pool. The four were the group that the board’s personnel committee had narrowed down from a new pool of 13 candidates.

“One withdrew, so it was only three,” Board Chairman Jerry Townsend said of the interviews conducted Sept. 24. “But we had two prior from the first applicant pool that’s still being considered.”

That leaves a field of five candidates for the board to consider. Townsend affirmed that he feels like the board has the person for the job in that field of five.

The search for a new county administrator was extended when Townsend announced Aug. 4 the board was seeking additional candidates. But he said Friday, Sept. 25, there’s agreement there will not be a need to extend things any further beyond the Oct. 6 meeting at this point.

“The board feels, the consensus now, is that two out of the five appear to be stronger than the other three, so we feel confident that one of the two could do the job,” he said.

He stated that on Oct. 6 at 5 p.m., the board will reconvene and engage in discussion in a closed session.

“And the plan is to make a decision then who we will make an offer to,” he said.

Townsend estimated the new county administrator would probably start within 30 to 45 days of the board’s decision if the applicant accepts the board’s offer.

Current County Administrator Wade Bartlett’s contract expires Wednesday, Sept. 30, but Townsend reaffirmed that Assistant County Administrator Sarah Puckett would be more than capable of handling duties in the period between Bartlett’s departure and the new administrator’s arrival.