NATCHEZ — Interviews for a new Adams County administrator are under way, and a new hire should be in place by the new year, board of supervisors president Darryl Grennell said.

Of the 22 applications received for the job, eight people were called for interviews, Grennell said.

The board interviewed six candidates Tuesday, and the last two interviews are scheduled for Monday.

“I think in the pool (the board) has seen thus far, we have some really qualified applicants,” Grennell said.

“I think we’ll have somebody in this pool to be able to select from; I don’t think there’s a question about that.”

By the end of next week, the board will either choose a final candidate or narrow the pool to two or three and conduct second interviews, Grennell said

Chancery Clerk Tommy O’Beirne has been serving as interim administrator since Sept. 30 without extra pay for his additional duties.

The county has been without an administrator since Sept. 15, when Joe Murray resigned from the position after serving approximately one month. The position was unfilled for five months before Murray was hired, with former administrator Charlie Brown filling in temporarily.

Grennell said O’Beirne, board secretary Angela Hutchins and the payroll staff have done a good job absorbing the extra duties of the county administrator in the meantime, but he would like to relieve them of the extra work as soon as possible.

O’Beirne volunteered to accept the interim position without pay, despite the board’s willingness to compensate him.

“It is a challenge for us because it’s overwhelming for (O’Beirne),” Grennell said.

“It has been a lot of work for him, and I don’t want to continue to have him stressed out.

“We need to get somebody on board to get rolling with the duties — the budget needs constant monitoring”

Grennell said the board is seeking a candidate with skills to compile a budget, monitor a budget and handle personnel and grant issues.

The new administration should also have proficient computer skills, he said.

To arrive at the top eight applicants, each of the five supervisors selected their top three choices after reviewing all 22 applications. Eight applicants received interviews because some applicants were picked by more than one supervisor.

One of the applicants interviewed Tuesday was from Adams County, one was from Louisiana and the rest were from other counties in Mississippi.

Grennell said most of the applicants said they were willing to relocate to Natchez if hired for the job.

Of the candidates scheduled to attend an interview Tuesday, one is from Tennessee and the other is from another county in Mississippi.

The administrator job was advertised in The Natchez Democrat, The Clarion Ledger, Bluff City Post, the Mississippi Association of Supervisors’ website and at local unemployment offices.