ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, February 11, 1997 TAG: 9702110075
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
Jeff Lunsford, Montgomery County's assistant administrator, has accepted the chief administrator job for Louisa County.
Lunsford, 42, was one of eight semifinalists to replace Montgomery's Betty Thomas, who is retiring at the end of March after 16 years as county administrator. But late last week, he accepted an offer from Louisa, beating out more than 85 other applicants.
Lunsford takes over the job March 10, replacing William C. Porter Jr., who resigned in November after 11 years. Porter left to become an assistant administrator with James City County near Williamsburg, The Charlottesville Daily Progress reported.
"I'm really looking forward to it," Lunsford said. "I think it's going to be a good place to be county administrator."
He called it a progressive, growing county with an excellent school system. Louisa parallels Interstate 64 between Richmond and Charlottesville, with Lake Anna and the Fredericksburg area to its north. Its population is approximately 23,000, compared with 75,600 in Montgomery.
Lunsford was Montgomery County's finance director for nine years before becoming assistant county administrator in September 1994. He was born in Abingdon and grew up in the Richmond area. He earned an undergraduate degree from Bridgewater College and a master's of public administration from the University of Kentucky.
Before coming to Christiansburg, Lunsford worked for the state Department of Taxation in Richmond and for the Henrico County budget office.
"I've enjoyed my time here in Montgomery County. I've learned a lot over the past 11 years I've been here. I feel good about the things I've been able to accomplish," Lunsford said Monday.
"One of the greatest things about working here is you have a lot of good people to work with," he said. "I've enjoyed working for the Board of Supervisors and for Betty [Thomas]."
Joe Gorman, chairman of Montgomery County's Board of Supervisors, said Lunsford had not indicated he was looking outside the county but had previously said he explored opportunities when they arose.
"I think every time an opportunity arises, he rises to the occasion and I think Carol [Edmonds, finance director] does the same thing," Gorman said.
"He's a doer. He's a thinker. If he does for them as well as he's done for us, they will be very pleased with him," Gorman said.
Gorman said Lunsford's financial background helped the county successfully arrange financing for county operations such as schools and landfills and was helpful with grant applications.
Lunsford is the latest of several top Montgomery County administrators to leave in recent months. Aside from Thomas, School Superintendent Herman Bartlett leaves when his contract expires in June and the county is searching for a new economic development director to replace Don Moore, who left county service Friday to work in the private sector. County Attorney Martin McMahon came on board in September to replace Roy Thorpe, who left to become city attorney for Falls Church.
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