County Administrator Fired

Judge Cites Management Differences

— Benton County Judge Bob Clinard cited differences in management styles as the reason he fired Elizabeth Bowen on Wednesday from her job as the county’s general services administrator.

“I terminated her yesterday,” Clinard said Thursday. “I can’t really say much; it’s a personnel issue.

“I can assure you it was purely management style. There was absolutely nothing illegal, immoral or wrong in any way. I had a review of her management style and my management style and decided it would be best.”

Bowen said she agreed with Clinard’s characterization of her departure being based on differences in management styles. She said she had nothing negative to say about her time with the county.

“I’ve really enjoyed working for the county,” Bowen said. “They have a lot of good people and I’m going to miss working with them. I’ve worked there a little over nine years and I think I had some positive accomplishments in several departments, especially in GIS.”

Clinard said he divided Bowen’s responsibilities among other employees. John Sudduth gets the title of general services administrator and will oversee the Planning and Environmental Department.

Sudduth has been the county’s director of facilities and construction and said building inspection and planning issues are not new to him.

“I’ve been involved with building departments, boards of adjustments and planning for a little over 25 years,” Sudduth said. “Of course, it’s going to be a learning process, becoming familiar with Arkansas laws, but there’s a good staff over there in the Planning Department and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Clinard said Sidney Reynolds, head of the Information Systems Department, will take over responsibility for the county’s Geographic Information Systems Department. Reynolds said his new duties are within the scope of his experience, since he was responsible for the department from the time the county began using the technology in about 2002 until Bowen was promoted to general services administrator in 2011

“I ran the GIS Department and the IS Department,” Reynolds said. “For a couple of years we had a coordinator (Bowen) during that time, but I was over the coordinator as well until Judge Clinard came in and she was promoted.”

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