Politics & Government
Harford County Council Administrator to Retire
Barbara O'Connor's retirement will be effective March 1.
UPDATE (Friday, 11:11 a.m.)—Harford County Council Administrator Barbara O’Connor has filed for retirement with county offices, according to multiple sources.
O’Connor, who is on vacation and was unavailable for comment, told fellow staff members in a meeting last week that she was going to retire. The process was completed Wednesday, according to Diane Burch, council administrative assistant. Burch added that O'Connor's retirement is effective April 1.
County Council President Billy Boniface said the timing works well for the 17-person office, located on Office Street in Bel Air. Any sooner may have made legislative session .
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Assistant Council Attorney Mary Kate Herbig will serve as the interim council administrator until a full-time replacement is selected.
“It’s seamless. It won’t effect the operation of the office,” Boniface said. “You won’t see any drop in performance for the short period.”
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He added that he will meet with the council’s personnel committee, comprised of him, Councilman Richard Slutzky and Councilwoman Mary Ann Lisanti, to begin the replacement process.
“First, we’ll look at a job description and see if it needs to have some updating done to it,” he said. “We’ll probably narrow the selection down and then we’ll present to the other members.”
He added that the council will take its time selecting a replacement.
“I think we’re looking a month down the road probably before we post the position,” Boniface said.
The council president said he did not get off to a good start with O’Connor when he began his first term in 2006.
“I made a couple of missteps and I automatically thought that the council president could pick a new council administrator,” Boniface said. “I found out real quick that the council administrator works for the entire council.”
But after more than four years together, he said it will be difficult to adjust to her departure.
“I thoroughly enjoyed working with her over the last four years,” he said. “I’m really going to miss her.”
O'Connor has served as council administrator since June 18, 2003. The council unanimously reappointed O'Connor to her position Feb. 1. She has worked with Harford County government since July 18, 1994.
