Three finalists chosen for Franklin County manager post

Billy Morse

Tim Merritt

Dale Surrett

FRANKLIN COUNTY — Three finalists now remain in the running for the job of Franklin County, Ga., manager.

After interviewing nine candidates out of the 54 applications they received, Franklin County commissioners have narrowed their search to three finalists: Tim Merritt of Gainesville, Ga., Dale Surrett from Seneca, S.C., and Billy Morse of Toccoa, Ga.

Because of the number of candidates applying for the post, interview duties were divided among the four commissioners and commission chair. Each commissioner identified top candidates. At a personnel meeting in closed session Tuesday night, the commission selected the three finalists.

Merritt is the former Gainesville assistant city manger, having held that job from 2000 to 2007. He retired from the position in 2007 and is a Realtor in Hall County, Ga.

Surrett is the former Oconee County, S.C., administrator. His contract to fill that post was terminated in April by a 3-2 vote of the Oconee County Council.

Billy Morse serves as the city manager for Toccoa.

County Commission Chairman Sam Elrod said the next step in the manager selection process is to call the finalists in for a second round of interviews in front of the entire board of commissioners.

“That’s the only way to do it, really,” Elrod said. “We all had our group of candidates that we interviewed and we narrowed it down to these three. They’re all very well-qualified, but you can only pick one.”

Elrod said no date has yet been set for that second set of call back interviews. Commissioners will make a final decision to fill the position at a called meeting to take place after the state-required, 14-day waiting period between the time the names of finalists for such a position are made public and the point when a final decision is made to hire someone. Elrod said the final decision should be made in the next several weeks.