NATCHEZ &045; Adams County Administrator Charles Brown said Monday he will let county supervisors know soon &045; perhaps as soon as one to two weeks &045; if he will retire from that position in the foreseeable future.

Board of Supervisors President Darryl Grennell said that after news reports surfaced that Brown’s retirement might be imminent, he asked Brown directly if it was true.

&uot;He said he was looking forward (to staying until) another budget year,&uot; Grennell said, referring to the county fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. Before that discussion, Grennell said, Brown had not mentioned anything to him about retirement.

Meanwhile, Brown is keeping his options open.

&uot;I said I might stay through the budget year,&uot; Brown said. &uot;I haven’t given (supervisors) a definite answer yet, but I will shortly, maybe in a week or two.&uot;

Brown, now in his late ’70s, has served as county administrator for 16 years.

Although most of the work he puts in is behind the scenes, Brown oversees the business operations of a county of more than 33,000 people, one whose latest budget tops $16.7 million.

In summer and early fall, that includes working sometimes 50 to 60 hours a week working, among other things, to compile a proposed budget for the next fiscal year.

Mississippi law states that, under the board’s supervision, a county administrator administers all county affairs falling under the board’s control and carry out the board’s policies &045; within the limits of the county’s latest revised budget.