DeFUNIAK SPRINGS — One month and one day after he took the job as Walton County administrator, Robert Halfhill has resigned.
Read his letter of resignation. >>
In a letter presented to county spokesman Louis Svehla shortly after noon Tuesday, Halfhill cited “my personal situation and continuing family medical problems” in announcing that he would leave immediately.
He said he didn’t want to be a distraction as the county “faces a multitude of challenges and will have to make difficult decisions.”
Like his predecessor Greg Kisela, Halfhill apparently had mad eenemies in county government. Four women had filed complaints against him, according to County Commissioner Cindy Meadows.
Meadows said she had confirmed in conversation with County Attorney Mark Davis that “four women went and verbally talked to (Assistant County Administrator) Gerry Demers” about Halfhill.
She said no formal or written complaint had been filed, but that Halfhill was confronted with the allegations shortly before he resigned.
“I think we should not be able to make those allegations without a sworn statement,” Meadows said.
The Walton County employee manual says certain complaints made against a person must be put in writing before an internal investigation can begin.
Contacted Tuesday afternoon, Halfhill refused to answer questions about his resignation or the complaints against him.
“I’m not going to interview about it,” he said.
County Commission Chairman Ken Pridgen had no comment about Halfhill’s resignation or the complaints.
“We’ve been advised by our attorney not to make any comment,” he said.
County Attorney Mark Davis deflected phone calls seeking comment to Svehla. He did confirm verbal complaints had been filed against Halfhill in an email sent to county resident Bob Hudson.
Halfhill took over as county administrator March 1 with a promise to hit the ground running. Ironically, the stationery he used to submit his resignation bore the letterhead of the address in Pembroke Pines he left to come to Walton County.
His short tenure was enough to impress some people in the business community.
“After having met and heard Mr. Halfhill speak to our taxpayer association, it appeared we had a really qualified person who was going to do a world of good for Walton County,” said Don Riley, president of the Walton County Taxpayers Association. “I’m personally chagrined for whatever reasons he has chosen to resign.
“There needs to be some soul searching in Walton County government,” Riley said.
Halfhill was hired to replace Kisela, who was fired in June 2012 after 11 months on the job.
Halfhill’s replacement will be the fifth county administrator whom Sheriff Mike Adkinson has worked with in five years.
“I’m very sympathetic with the county’s need for some staff,” Adkinson said. “We need some stability here.”
The county again is looking for an administrator even as it also seeks to hire a new Tourist Development Council director and a new public works director.
Commissioners left Wednesday for Tallahassee to meet with state legislators. It was not clear when a new search for a county administrator would get under way or how it would be conducted.
In February, Halfhill was chosen for the job over Ted Lakey, county manager for Jackson County. County commissioners said at the time that Lakey would be offered the job if Halfhill didn’t take it.
Lakey also was a finalist for the Okaloosa County administrator post.
He did not respond to a phone call Wednesday.
The third choice for county administrator was Larry Jones, who spent 12 years on the County Commission before deciding last year not to seek reelection.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Tom McLaughlin at 850-315-4435 or tmclaughlin@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomMnwfdn.