Switch to county administrator proposed: Washington County is last in the area with coordinator.

Byline: Don Behm

Nov. 19--WEST BEND -- The Washington County Board would be less involved in managing daily operations of the county's major departments if it approves a proposal to create the job of an administrator with full authority to fire non-elected department managers.

Administrative Coordinator Doug Johnson has asked Board Chairman Tom Sackett of Hartford and the board's Executive Committee to consider eliminating his job and creating the post of administrator who would take greater control of county government.

"A county board with an administrator would be more like a school board with a superintendent," Johnson said.

The switch would allow the County Board to focus its attention on setting budget goals and overall policies for county government, rather than monitoring the details of running departments, he …