FORT WALTON BEACH — Okaloosa County Administrator Jim Curry has delivered his final report to the county commissioners.
Curry, who retires Friday, was honored for his 35 years of service at the board’s meeting Tuesday.
“He’s one of those tourists who came here and he never left,” Commission Chairman Don Amunds said during the presentation. “Jim’s tenure here will be long remembered.”
He described Curry as an administrator who “really cares about the county employees.”
“He’s always been honest and handled all the pressure with a lot of grace,” Amunds said.
Curry was hired as a county corrections officer in 1978. It was a tumultuous time for the county, which was dealing with jail overcrowding and the need for a new facility.
Three years later, Curry was named director of the corrections department and stayed in that position until 1997. He served in the county’s No. 2 position from 1997 to 2005, when he was named county administrator.
Amunds praised Curry’s work on the construction of the county’s Courthouse Annex Extension, which was completed in September 2011.
“Jim is really patient,” he said. “He worked on this project for more than 15 years.”
In the final four years of Curry’s tenure, the county has weathered the collapse of a booming housing market, a kickback scandal under then-Sheriff Charlie Morris, a heated beach restoration battle, the BP oil spill and a fraud scheme that resulted in the suicide of former tourism head Mark Bellinger.
“It’s been a great ride and it has been a privilege to serve for Okaloosa County,” Curry said. “I go back to my jail days and all the challenges that we faced at that time. … I will tell you, you get through things by surrounding yourself with excellence and allowing (your employees) to do their job.”
Curry said he especially appreciates his employees and department heads for being “the ones who get out there and deliver the services.”
He has said he plans to take some time off before seeking a new job.
Commissioner Wayne Harris called Curry his “best counsel in the county.”
“This guy has kept me rock steady,” he added.
Curry told the board he will spend the next two days working closely with new County Administrator Ernie Padgett, who starts today.
“He and I will be joined at the hip,” Curry said. “We’ve got a lot of meetings scheduled to get up to speed.”