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WINTON – Hertford County has hired two veterans of local government, including the former Northampton County Manager.

At their meeting here Monday morning, Kimberly L. Turner was introduced as Hertford County’s new Human Resources (HR) Director. Turner served nearly five years as the Northampton County Manager, a job that abruptly ended on Feb. 4 of this year in what the county commissioners there said was a “voluntary resignation.”

Turner, who resides in Woodland, comes to her new job in Hertford County with years of experience in local government. All totaled, Turner worked for Northampton County local government for 15 years. She was initially employed in two, part-time roles: an administrative assistant in the county manager’s office as an assistant in the Register of Deeds office. She eventually worked her way up he ladder, first as a full-time administrative assistant in the manager’s office, then Clerk to the Board of Commissioners, assistant county manager, and finally as county manager, named to the latter position in 2014.

“I’m very happy and excited to return to a position in county government,” Turner told the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald after Monday’s board meeting. “I’m looking forward to serving the employees of Hertford County local government, serving the board of commissioners, and the citizens of this county.

“I feel good about this new stage of my work career,” Turner continued, adding that she worked for North Carolina DMV in Raleigh for five months after leaving her job as the Northampton Manager. “It means a lot to me to have the opportunity to work for a board of commissioners here with high morals and ethics as well as one who has the concerns of its citizens at heart.”

As far as her role as HR Director, Turner said she is prepared to tackle that job.

“During my time as the Northampton County Manager, I worked very closely with the HR Director and Finance Director there,” she stressed. “As a manager I learned the basic foundations of all aspects of county government.”

Also formally introduced at Monday’s meeting was David Cotton. He was hired as the Interim Assistant County Manager for a term lasting from Dec. 1-31. Then, upon the Dec. 31 retirement of long-time Hertford County Manager Loria Williams, Cotton will work as the Interim County Manager. That term of employment is listed as Jan. 1 through March 31, 2020.

Per his employment contract with Hertford County, Cotton will be paid $60 per hour (working a four-day week: Monday through Thursday). He will also be reimbursed up to $300 per week for any overnight lodging in Hertford County as well as paid mileage for trips from his residence to Winton.

Meanwhile, the Hertford County Commissioners will continue their efforts to hire a permanent manager. They reserve the right to terminate Cotton’s contract, with a two-week notice, or extend it beyond March 31.

Cotton most recently served as the Onslow County Manager, a position he held since May 2017. He resigned from that position on Oct. 30 of this year.

Prior to that, Cotton served Onslow County as an assistant and deputy manager.

Monday’s meeting also included the annual election of chair and vice chair of the board of commissioners. There was no change in either position, with Ronald Gatling (chair) and John Horton (vice chair) elected unanimously by their peers