DSS director to become new Scotland County manager Aug. 1

LAURINBURG — The Scotland County Department of Social Services director will work in a new capacity within the county, effective Aug. 1.

April Snead was named the new county manager following a unanimous vote from the Scotland County Board of Commissioners earlier this week, according to Jason Robinson, who is currently serving in the interim role of manager.

“I’m excited about the position and the challenges ahead,” Snead told the Laurinburg Exchange.

Snead is a Scotland County native and has more than two decades of experience as a county employee, first working as a social worker in Child Protective Services and then working her way up the ladder to the position of director in 2014.

Snead said that she has a “great working knowledge of county government” as well as an “understanding of what the commissioners are looking for” and their vision for the future of the county.

Her experience as a director is “different” from her future role but both roles share similarities such as maintaining relationships, effective communication and implementing the vision of a board, Snead said.

In her current role, Snead also leads a large agency and oversees a complex financial budget, both of which she said will be assets to the new role of county manager.

In May, the former county manager Kevin Patterson announced his resignation effective immediately during a recessed meeting.

During the meeting, Patterson delivered a presentation of a $52 million budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year and what changes were made compared to the current year’s budget. Following a closed session, Chairman Tim Ivey said Patterson notified the board of his departure.

Ivey temporarily acted as the county manager prior to Robinson.

Patterson had been employed with the county for nearly 20 years; first being hired as the Finance officer in April 2004. After completing an initial probationary period, his title changed to Finance officer/assistant county manager.

Patterson was temporarily assigned to the interim health director role in 2006 during the recruitment period and was terminated from the role three months later. He was then assigned as the interim county manager after the resignation of John Crumpton in 2007. He was named to the role permanently on Jan. 1, 2008, and has served in that capacity since Tuesday.