MAHONING COUNTY Kubic has been hired as official in South Carolina county

The county's special projects director is interested in the administrator job.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- After more than a decade as Mahoning County administrator, Gary Kubic is heading south.
The county council of Beaufort County, S.C., unanimously hired Kubic as its administrator. Kubic expects to start his new job Jan. 1. The county council gave Kubic a three-year contract with a starting annual salary of $127,500. He will sign the contract Monday. Kubic earns $85,000 a year as Mahoning County administrator.
"I'm extremely excited about having the opportunity, and I'm thrilled to be their candidate and to get an offer to work in such a fantastic community," Kubic said. "I feel I can help the people of Beaufort County. It's a great place to live, and I'm anxious to go."
Wants Kubic's job
Joseph Caruso, the county's special projects director for the past two years and a former Liberty township administrator, says he is interested in replacing Kubic.
Commissioner Ed Reese said he would support naming Caruso as interim county administrator while a search is conducted. Because of the county's financial troubles, Reese doesn't think Mahoning County can afford to conduct a national search. He says the search will probably center around those who are in local government.
Commissioners Vicki Allen Sherlock and David Ludt couldn't be reached Friday to comment.
Reese said Caruso would be a strong candidate for the permanent job. The commissioner also said he's heard that county Auditor George Tablack might be interested in applying for the administrator's job.
In response, Tablack said, "I'm not sure why he'd say that."
Reese said the commissioners will meet sometime next week to determine how to replace Kubic.
"I feel we are losing one our best and brightest people in Mahoning County government," Reese said.
Vied for the job
Kubic beat out about 150 people for the job in Beaufort County, home of the popular vacation spot Hilton Head Island. Beaufort is one of South Carolina's fastest-growing counties, nearly doubling its population in the past 20 years, with an economy strongly supported by tourism.
In addition to his annual salary, which could be increased each year after performance evaluations, Kubic will also receive $15,000 to relocate his family, the use of a county vehicle or a $500 monthly vehicle allowance, a $750 monthly housing stipend for up to six months, a $250,000 life insurance policy, and six months of severance pay if he is terminated without cause, according to the Beaufort Gazette newspaper.
Kubic said he has mixed emotions about leaving the Mahoning Valley. Besides spending more than 10 years as county administrator, Kubic worked for 18 years for Youngstown, including eight years as its financial director.
"Moving away from family ties is always a difficult process," he said.
Beaufort County has been without an administrator for the past eight months. John Kachmar resigned from the job in March because of controversy surrounding his being charged with speeding in a county vehicle with a suspended license. County Controller Tom Henrikson has served since then as interim administrator.
skolnick@vindy.com