The Dougherty County, Georgia Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce Deron King and William “Lee” Smith, III, as finalists for the position of County Administrator.  This announcement comes after an extensive national search and a rigorous selection process. 

Deron King brings over 17 years of local government executive experience.  He was previously employed as the City Manager for East Point, Georgia where he, among other things was instrumental in establishing their Office of Equity, Inclusion & Empowerment dedicated to addressing homelessness, aid in housing and utility payment assistance.  King has previously worked as the City Manager for the cities of Waycross, Forsyth and Stone Mountain, Georgia.  He is a Credential Manager by the International City County Management Association (ICMA).  Renowned for his expertise in urban planning, King holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Iowa and Masters of Public Administration from Clark Atlanta University. 

 Lee Smith boasts 35 years of experience working for local governments in Georgia and North Carolina.   In 2014, he was appointed as Chatham County Manager in Savannah where he worked in that capacity until September 2022.  While there, he was responsible for a nearly $1 billion budget and oversaw a number of major capital projects.  Prior to that, Smith worked as County Manager for Wayne County in Goldsboro, North Carolina and Washington County in Plymouth, North Carolina.  While also ICMA credentialed, Smith earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. 

The selection of a County Administrator is a critical step in the County’s mission of improving the quality of life for all citizens by being accessible and responsible stewards of its resources while delivering cost-effective, responsive services with integrity, fairness and friendliness. The Board of Commissioners will take action approving its selection for the County Administrator position no sooner than 14 days from this announcement of finalists.