County's top executive stepping down

Hamilton County Administrator Christian Sigman will step down later this year.

The county's top executive gave commissioners a letter of resignation this week, saying he'd stay on the job until September.

Sigman's decision to leave comes at a time of change for the county's leadership. A new commissioner, Republican Dennis Deters, started work two weeks ago, and both Deters and Democrat Todd Portune are up for election this fall.

Sigman,  who makes about $180,000 a year, took over as administrator in 2011. He was recently a finalist for the city manager job in Virginia Beach, though he didn't get the job.

Sigman, who could not immediately be reached for comment, has overseen work at The Banks, guided the county-owned stadiums through years when the sales tax under-performed, and he prepared balanced budgets during an economic downtown that saw the county shed about one-third of its workforce.

Though he was praised for his work on finances, Sigman got into hot water with commissioners last summer when he sent a memo to city officials critical of progress at The Banks. In the memo, he suggested the city and county may want to consider replacing the developer of the riverfront project.

Two of the commissioners, Portune and Republican Chris Monzel, were prepared to fire Sigman, but Portune changed his mind. Instead, the commissioners told Sigman he could no longer coordinate the county's work on The Banks

Deters said Sigman turned in his resignation letter earlier this week and did not give a reason for the decision. He praised Sigman's work on the budget during his time as administrator.

"He's done a heck of a job keeping the county in good financial condition," Deters said. "He deserves a lot of credit for where the county is today."

The job of administrator is budget oriented, but political in nature. Sigman replaced Patrick Thompson shortly after the 2010 election flipped the board of commissioners from Democratic to Republican control.

Monzel said the board of commissioners will meet Monday to discuss what to do next and whether the search for Sigman's replacement will begin immediately. "We need to get together as a board and discuss this process," he said.

Sigman was appointed county administrator in 2011 after five years as assistant administrator. He has over 20 years public administration experience beginning as a police officer in 1986 and progressing through increasingly more responsible senior positions in local government.