County board makes decision on administrator

By Rupert Howell
Supervisors  named a new assistant county administrator, a position that may soon lead to the administrator’s position as current administrator Kelley Magee is retiring, during Monday’s First District meeting when they unanimously voted to hire attorney Kate Bishop Victor for the position.
Ms. Victor, of Oxford, is also an accountant with both undergraduate and law degrees coming from Ole Miss. Victor said she had been practicing law in Batesville for the past seven years and had learned her way around local courthouses. Married to Neil Victor, she has two sons ages 14 and 9.
Victor was chosen from a pool of 18 who supervisor board president Cole Flint said included many well-qualified applicants.
Although the final decision came Monday, one supervisor said he was ready to vote much earlier after initial interviews of the top four candidates.
Flint said Monday that Victor would begin her employment January 3, the first working day of the new year.
He explained that the successful applicant would have a  transition phase at the courthouse prior to it being determined if she should hold the administrator’s position.
Supervisors earlier planned to contract with Magee part-time following her employment to assist with administrator duties at least until a new person was fully acclimated to the position.