“While I was aware of the commute when accepting the position, I did not realize the strain that it would place on my family,” he wrote. “Regardless of how much I enjoy the position, my family’s wellbeing will always be my primary concern.”
He said he has found a job that allows him to work from his Florence Ky. home full-time. He could not be reached for further comment.
Commissioner Don Dixon said Fosnight was doing a good a job and he’s sorry to see him go but the county job must be in-person.
“He was a good guy I hate to lose him, but if it works out better for him that’s what it’s all about,” Dixon said.
Commissioner T.C. Rogers agreed.
“Hate to lose him, he’s very accomplished and knowledgeable, he took another job for personal reasons and I wish him well,” he said. “We were glad to have been able receive his contribution to our projects.”
Fosnight has been working with Boyko on a number of major projects such as implementing the massive space reutilization study the county commissioned last year, the $4 million-plus Historic Courthouse restoration and parking garage automation.
“Hearing of Chad’s departure was surprising and disheartening because there will be such a tremendous void,” Boyko told the Journal-News. “Filling the vacancy will be a critical and high priority due to the multiple projects underway in the county.”
The county posted the job — that pays $96,220 to $142,563 annually — on Wednesday and Human Resources Director Julie Tragesser told the Journal-News she has already received eight applications.
“It’s just really unfortunate,” Commissioner Cindy Carpenter said. “We had great hopes that he would be a good fit for that position. Now we’re back to the drawing board and we’re once again looking for director level positions.”
Prior to hiring Fosnight, Boyko was operating with a depleted management team for a year. The staff exodus began with former assistant county administrator Scott Timmer, who resigned in January 2022 to become Fairfield’s city manager. Then former finance director Angel Burton quit in February to work closer to her Clermont County home. Timmer hired former Human Resources director Laurie Murphy in May as his assistant city manager and then nabbed Fosnight’s predecessor Chris Hacker in October.
The commissioners hired Finance Director David McCormick last November and promoted Tragesser to HR director in February. The second-in-command position remains vacant and the county has not advertised the job but Boyko said “I’m always looking for talent to contribute to the organization.”
Help still wanted for other top jobs
The commissioners are however seeking to fill a couple positions that have been vacant for years. The assistant Job and Family Services directorship, that pays $80,704 to $117,020, has been open for two years. The vacancy occurred when former JFS executive director Bill Morrison retired and Julie Gilbert — who was Children Services director — was promoted, and Shannon Glendon moved from JFS assistant director to head Children Services.
The job was re-posted in April and Tragesser said she has received 94 applications. Boyko said they have tried to fill it previously but were unsuccessful.
Carpenter said she is glad they are finally filling the position because with homelessness numbers ever increasing, the role is crucial.
“We’re seeing the numbers are going up post-pandemic and one of the resources that we have to sort of combat homelessness are the programs that are in Job and Family Services,” she said. “So it would be nice to have a JFS director who comes with some knowledge and experience and can look at how we deliver services in Butler County.”
Another job that has gone unfilled is the Butler County Regional Airport manager post. The commissioners fired the former airport administrator Ron Davis in 2017 and haven’t replaced him. The job pays $67,038 to $97,198 and Tragesser said she has received 17 applications since she posted it July 10.
Development Director David Fehr is in charge of the operation and he said they really need someone on site at the airport tending to the daily operations. That will free some of his time — he wears many hats — to concentrate on the commissioners’ goals to make the airport an economic development driver.
“All the property to the east is still undeveloped and that could potentially be future hangars and I know they’ve talked about with the Amazon facility at CVG could there be some spin-off,” Fehr said. “So that would be my focus trying to find some business opportunities for the county.”
The pandemic threw a wrench into the county’s hiring efforts — it took 10 months to find a new finance director — but Tragesser said she doesn’t expect these openings to last long.
“I feel like it’s improving, we’re receiving more applications and the applications we’re receiving are from qualified candidates,” she said. “I feel good and excited about our rate of acceptance from job offers so I’m hopeful.”
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