Alan Thomas was chosen by a unanimous vote from the Decatur County Board of Commissioners Tuesday to be the new county administrator, effective Wednesday.

The term of Thomas’ contract with Decatur County ends July 28, 2016.

“I appreciate the confidence the board has placed in me,” Thomas said. “I look forward to working with each one of them as we move Decatur County forward in a positive direction for the benefit of all the citizens.”

Thomas will be replacing interim county administrator Perry Henry, who began his tenure following the resignation of former administrator Gary Breedlove on April 30.

Thomas served as Decatur County administrator from 1989-2005. He voluntarily resigned due to personal reasons.

“He is going to do the county a good service,” Decatur County Commission Chairman Dennis Brinson said. “Everything that I’ve heard about his previous tenure at the county has been very positive. Often times I think you have to talk to the staff that served up under his administration. Everything has been very positive. We are looking forward to working with him.”

Henry said he would be working with Thomas to familiarize him with the county operations, various projects currently in progress and the overall job.

“There are a lot of things that are in motion right now,” Henry said. “We have a memorandum of understanding with the hospital that is in the last stages of getting done, we have final stages of the budget we have to get done, we have to set the millage rate. We are going to be a team.”

The board hopes to achieve the financial numbers of Thomas’ previous tenure as administrator, but Thomas said he had other objectives to immediately accomplish.

“The first thing in my sights is to familiarize myself with the things I need to know, and then develop from there a priority list of what needs to be addressed,” Thomas said.

Thomas’ base annual salary is $115,000. His contract includes a severance clause of $57,500 if he is terminated before the end date on July 28, 2016.

He was working as a nurse at Archbold Bainbridge Specialty Clinic prior to rejoining Decatur County.